BLADED!
by Cerridwen Aerin Ellorin
Summary: UPDATED! Freyja VS Ren, Llewelyn spilling the beans about Team Europe's Guild gripes, and Lei getting confused. @.@ MAKE YOUR MIND UP, LEI~~~!!! ~-~** R/R please
1. Prologue To A Prologue

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BLADED!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bey Blade and all its characters, I own all original characters portrayed within. Second part to "To Meet Again", yup, now it involves the BBA – Blade Breakers Team and their foray into the unknown, i.e., the World Bey Blading Championships. Of course, this focuses more on the action now, a little on the developing affection rating between Lei and Asaya and Kai and Tsukiyo. Well, OK, it's hinted in the background. And…AAAACCCKKKK!!! Is that Max trying to play CUPID?! Err…OK...^^;; Comments, suggestions, praises, flames, are very highly appreciated. Oh yeah! This is also the debut of the spanking NEW BEY BLADES! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahaha~~~***hack hack, cough cough, SPLUTTER*** ahem. I suggest you read a little bit of the previous novel first before going on with this one. There are LOTS of references to what happened to the 1st part, but if you have any questions, I'll explain it to you if you want to, so swing me an e-mail whenever you feel confused. My e-mail's eduin_goddess@yahoo.com. OK?! Let's get ready to RRRRUUUUMMMMBBBBLLLLEEEE~~~~!!! 

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Prologue to a Prologue (^^;;)

Everything was all a-flurry the next day for the entire BBA-Blade Breakers Team.

They would be experiencing something for the 1st time they normally didn't enjoy doing.

And that was~~~

"TAKAO~~~!!! Hurry UP we're going to miss the TAXI!" Max was saying as he bustled around the room looking for his pair of deep red sneakers.

"I'm hurrying, I'm HURRYING!" SD Takao was literally running around with a piece of toast stuck in his mouth where Professor had thoughtfully packed for him in table napkins (a monster decker of around 38 buttered slices) because he got up late, AGAIN. He looks over at Max, who managed to locate his sneakers by Kai's bedroom doorway (how the HECK did it get there?!). "Why the HECK are we hurrying?"

"We only have one full day to explore, explore, and live everything French before the start of the Finals meet tomorrow," Professor explained. "And of course, it wouldn't hurt to do a little bit of shopping on the side."

"SHOPPING?!"

"For the BALL?" SD Tsukiyo was blinking at him. "We still have to find YOU the perfect shoes to go with your tuxedo. You can't actually come to the Ball wearing Skechers."

"My Skechers are just FINE the way they ARE!"

"Can you imagine shaking hands with everybody in the room, dressed to the nines, with you in your stupid Skechers?!" Kai told him. "No, we're DEFINITELY going to buy you a pair of leather shoes."

"NO!"

"YES!" Tsukiyo and Kai cried out exasperatedly at the same time.

SD Max has another evil grin on his face.

"Let's do that again…with a second voice this TIME!"

"Drop dead, MIZUHARA!" Kai yells, throwing him one of the room's huge throwpillows. Max laughed and managed to duck, and it sailed on until it hit Lei right in the face, who was concentrating on tying his hair for the rendezvous.

He blinks.

"Where's the siege?" he asked blankly.

SD Professor sweatdropped. "That's it, NO MORE _piña colada_ for a nightCAP!"

Everything was going very smoothly. Soon the whole gang was loaded with paper bags and paper bags of all the purchases they made, and from all the FOOD Takao was shoving into his "souvenirs sack".

"Takao, don't tell me you're going to buy another _BAGUETTE_ (is the spelling right?! I stand corrected here!)?!" SD Professor asked with a huge sweatdrop on his head.

"I have to try them ALL!"

"You ATE 36 of them ALREADY!"

"I think I've got everything," Tsukiyo said as she peered into her paper bags. "Perfume, right makeup, accessories…anything I left out?"

"I want to hit the bookstore," Asaya said suddenly. "I'm missing out on my 'vitamins'."

"That's a good idea," Kai said. "Let's go. We'll meet you guys at the _café_."

The 2 of them left. SD Max started elbowing Lei on his stomach.

"What, you're not going to chase after THEM?"

"Whatever for? I'm perfectly contented with all the books that I am reading," Lei answered him.

"O-OK. As you say, Lei." SD Max started to sweatdrop.

***_Gee, these 2 are as thick as bricks, they don't know how much they mean to each other until they're VERY well apart_ (thanks, Eiko Carol! [FFIX])_!_*** SD Max sighed. ***_Oh well. It's only the beginning of an interesting tale of 2 unlikely characters starting to care for each other…and…yeah! Even Tsukiyo and Kai. Hmm. What must I do to make these 2 clueless couples get tingly all OVER?!_***

Lei watched as Professor chased Takao all around, Tsukiyo at his heels. Max decided to ask him a question.

"Lei…can I ask you something?"

"Oh…sure, Max."

"Oh good! Errh…do you find…Asaya cute?"

"Cute?"

"Interesting?"

"Well…" Lei was quiet for a moment. "She's…nice…"

"Mmm-hmm."

"And she fixed my Driger up really good…I still have to see it tomorrow. And…a really great friend." Lei nodded. "She said she'd be a good friend to listen to everything I have to say…and…well…Mao."

"Oh." SD Max turned into a huge block of stone. SD Lei's eyes turned to little beads.

"Uh…Max?"

"Never mind." SD Max gave a goofy little laugh. "She's a great friend, Lei, she'll listen to all your Mao gripes without any complaint. You're such a GENIUS!"

"I…am?"

"Yeah. Keep me posted, OK? Thanks."

Lei returned to watching Professor chasing Takao around the square, Tsukiyo at his heels. SD Max became cutely determined.

***_It's make or break Lei, tonight's the moment of truth! Is it Mao or Asaya?! Hah, you've seen NOTHING yet!_***


	2. FallingFallingGone?

They all went back to their hotel room a little while later, their cheeks flushed from the cold air of a fine Paris weather outside. SD Takao's eyes were wobbly.

"Why can't I get back to that buffet table again…"

"Takao, ALL of the _maitre d'_s are giving us DEATH GLARES," Professor told him. "Besides, you've eaten through what seems to be a whole month's ration of a WHOLE army."

"That's NOT true!"

"It IS," Kai told him. "I was half-expecting for the whole national French army to swoop down on us any minute now because we have a bottomless pit of a SOLDIER running on the LOOSE."

"I can't help it if the cooking's GOOD!" Takao protested. "I'm a growing BOY!"

"More like a hippo," Kai retorted. "Look, if you decide to go buffet again, count me out. My reputation's good as SHOT."

"Hey guys, we still have to get READY!" Max told them, looking up from his Fossil® watch. "It's already 3:30…"

"The Ball's up at 7," Lei said with a puzzled look on his face. "It's quite a long way off…"

"I tell you, it's better to get ready by now before we all run like headless chickens on the loose a little while LATER," Max told him. "My Mom and I have been to formal dinners like this several times to know that. I mean, can you imagine going to a formal dinner with your hair sticking up like a porcupine because you poured EGG WHITE on it?! I didn't get that gunk out of my hair for DAYS." He nods. "So, what do you say?"

Tsukiyo put her arms around Asaya, who was blinking. "We'll have the luxury of hogging the bathroom for 2 hours. So guys, if you don't have anything else to do, then we'll just go march right in to prepare."

"Errh…" Takao blinked. "You…makeup…"

"Oh no! I'm going to ask Asaya for some pointers…not that I don't know any pointers myself," Tsukiyo told him. "Mom didn't buy all those _Vogue_ magazines just to be covered in cobwebs."

"Right," Takao said slyly.

SD Tsukiyo gave him a death glare. "Kinogu, I have a spare pair of garden shears in my briefcase I would VERY much LIKE to run through your HAIR."

"OK. Let's march in before Tsukiyo lobs us a C4," Max told the guys. "Let's go!"

"Ugghh, does this have to go through THIS?!"

"No Takao, you'll end up looking like a hobo! Don't pull on it too tightly…"

"OUCH!"

"Sorry! I didn't mean to~~~"

"Lei, your HAIR is flying all OVER the PLACE!"

Everything was in total chaos by the time it reached 6:30. Their tuxedos were delivered 5:30, and they were spending the whole hour getting ready, taking care not to muss their hair. Tsukiyo and Asaya were still holed up in Tsukiyo's room, and Max joked that they were discussing battle tactics for the takeover of the entire palace.

The Opening Ball was going to be held at the Versailles Palace, where the French government had lent to the Guild for the very special occasion. Several important people would be coming, and from what Professor had gathered, the teams invited for the Championships would also be there in person. It was for their chance to mingle with them and harbor friendships before they become all-out enemies on the Bey battlefield. 

Kai was soon setting his black bow tie into place in front of the mirror, looking very serious indeed about dressing up for this occasion. He looks over at the rest of them, all wearing similar tuxedos but with little twists: Max was wearing a tie set with a small button pin at the center, Takao was wearing a small thin ribbon (looks like Relena Peacecraft-Darlian's school's uniform for boys), while Lei was wearing a mini-cravat. Lei had gathered his hair at the base of his nape and has tied it down to a braid, and Max helped him with taming his bangs with spray gel to keep it in place.

"Feeling the crush, people?" Kai inquired quietly.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Takao told him mournfully. His baseball cap was gone and for once (although he's now wearing his hair that way), his blue-black tresses are left gloriously on their own.

"It's going to be fine, Takao, don't worry! Just think of all the food that would be served there," SD Max said happily, grinning.

The clock struck 6:45, and soon, Tsukiyo's door opened. Tsukiyo…or a person who looked remotely like her, stepped out of the room looking harrassed about something.

"DAMN! We still have to get there by 7! Sheesh, where did ALL the time GO?!"

Kai blinked, and Takao's jaw dropped in surprise.

"Tsukiyo…is that…YOU?!" SD Takao asked in awe.

"Of COURSE it's ME! What am I, chopped LIVER?!" SD Tsukiyo frowned. "I don't like wearing these kind of clothes, but just for YOU Takao, I'm letting this happen only ONCE."

Her hair was swept upwards and tied back into an elegant French twist. Her dress, what Max brought her, was a lovely shade of blue: it was halter type, and the dress itself was backless, revealing her smooth fair shoulders and back. The skirt flowed gracefully about her lower knees, and she wore a pair of pearly white stilettos. She looked…

__

Beautiful…?

"Is it that late already?" Asaya inquired, coming right after Tsukiyo. At the sight of her Takao promptly fainted, and SD Professor fanned him with his hand, and he was totally freaked out.

Her dress was of a cream material, and Lei saw that her hair was streaked with streaks of cream into it, making it look like it was gilded with starlight. Tiny glass beads were worked into her elegant upswept coiffure, tiny glass beads shaped like stars, and had tiny seed pearls worked into them, as well. The dress had a tube for a top, and the skirt flowed about her lower knees like assymetrical mist. It was delicately embroidered with a sprinkling of sparkling glass beads by her bosom and her skirt, and it glinted softly as she moved, as if she was a star herself. A pair of cream low heeled sandals were on her feet, tied at the ankle in the manner of Sailor Venus'foot gear. A filmy wrap was about her lovely, slender arms, and draped gracefully about her shoulders.

"Yup, we have the best looking women under that sparkling roof TONIGHT!" Max grinned. "Well…shall we go?" 


	3. Enter Team Europe, The Majestics!

The Palace was as beautiful as it was and ever be. Several people were gathered at front, most of them photographers for several important newspapers and magazines around the world, and the night was flashing away.

All of the guests arrived by means of limousines, and the BBA – Blade Breakers Team were no exception: Takao was very happy at the way they all arrived there in high style.

"Excuse ME! Mr. Kinogu?! Katsuhiko Haneda, _Bey Blade Loaded_ magazine! Can I do an exclusive with YOU?!"

"Is it true that the BBA – Blade Breakers Team are going to mow over ALL the competition in the upcoming TOURNAMENT?!"

"Group shot, PLEASE! Who are those BEAUTIFUL ladies with YOU?! Girlfriends?!"

"Mr. Kinogu, is she your GIRLFRIEND?!" one reporter asked, gesturing to Asaya, who was smiling and waving at her legions of admirers by the barricaded driveway.

"Uh…n-n-NO!" SD Takao was blushing. "What made you think THAT?!"

"This way, please," a uniformed usher said, gesturing to the rolled out red carpet that led straight inside the Palace. Professor looked over at the rest of them, still dazed at the attention they were all getting, with the exception of Kai, Asaya, and Takao. "Come on, Chairman Daitenji is right inside,waiting for us! We don't want to be late!"

"Yes, of course," Kai said. "Come on you all, we'll deal with the press later."

He walks straight in, followed closely by Asaya and Professor. Several girls shrieked and promptly fainted upon seeing their crushes Kai and Lei enter the Palace wearing those hot tuxedos. Boy, they looked HOT.

They all went in, and Max's eyes widened. He grins. "Welcome to a WHOLE new WORLD! Haha, I've been wanting to say that for AGES…"

The Ball was to take place in one of the Palace Ballrooms, just beyond the Hall of Mirrors. Several guests were there already, dressed to the hilt in their expensive designer clothes and blinding, asteroid-sized jewelry, and their respective hordes of bodyguards.

"HEEEEYYY! TAKAO!"

Takao blinked, then he slowly grined. "OLIVER?! Is that YOU?!"

"The ONE and the SAME!" Oliver Polanski (Oliver) was smiling very broadly as he walked toward them. He grins. "How are you?"

"Fine, I guess. Wow, you've CHANGED!" Takao was wide-eyed. "Don't tell me you're joining…"

"Of course NOT! It's not as if I detest the very idea of facing you guys in battle, it's just that I've been doing lots of things. I've been accepted to study at Italy, and I want to become more of a famous painter than a famous Blader. Hey, I still haven't forgotten Bey Blading, don't think I've already slackened off."

"Italy…WAIT! Is Giancarlo (Enrique) with you?!"

"The whole lot of them," Oliver said with a laugh. "Johnny's (Johnny) been complaining he can't do much around here, dolled up in a tuxedo, and Ralf (Robert) went to check up on a few things back at his castle, worries too much it's becoming VERY bad for his health."

"Wow…" Takao gestured to Tsukiyo and Asaya. "Oh, I'd like you to meet my childhood best buddy and our new assistant Bey tech to Professor, Tsukiyo Shinohara and Asaya Ninomiya."

"Hello," Oliver said, smiling. "How does France find you so far?"

"Nervous," Tsukiyo replied with a gulp.

"Great!" SD Asaya smiled back at him. "How're your restaurants coming along?"

"Fine, never better! Thanks, Asaya."

"You 2 KNOW each other?!" SD Takao asked with wide circular eyes.

"The clubhouse is just a few blocks away from the restaurant," Oliver said with a grin. "They all dine there whenever Chef runs out of food to prepare."

"HEY! Aren't you going to introduce ME?!"

Giancarlo Donatore (YAY! I've finally GOTTEN IT~~~!!!) raced in front of Oliver anyway and just made his manly presence felt to the 2 wide-eyed SD girls. "Hello. My name is Giancarlo. What're your phone numbers?!"

Max grinned. "They're very much TAKEN already, Giancarlo, better find yourself another girl to flirt with."

"HEY! You here for the Tournament?!" Oliver was blinking. "Sorry, I didn't see you, Giancarlo's flashing his moves again."

"That's OK," Lei told him, smiling. "It's good to see you guys again."

"How are things back at Italy?" Kai asked Giancarlo, who by now became SD.

"Fine, never better," SD Giancarlo said with a sigh. "Now my father's literally begging me to become a sea dog. He has those captains with him anyway, why can't he just leave me ALONE?!"

"You're looking at the youngest pilot ever to fly a Concord," Oliver said with a grin. "The story goes on that he was looking for a way out of Sardinia because the saucer-eyed girl was giving him ogle glares worthy to eat a whole Nessie in one gulp.His family's Concord was there, and so he flew straight back home and never went out of his room until they served the saucer-eyed girl a 1,000 mile radius hold order around the perimeters of his family's ancestral estate."

"Really?" SD Takao was wide eyed. "God Giancarlo, I THOUGHT you only lived for WOMEN…"

"Well…she was STALKING me!" SD Giancarlo yells. "Who would want a saucer-eyed girl lapping you up everytime your horse does a jump over those 5 cylinder hurdles at ASCOT?! I was hospitalized so many times the doctors told my parents I OUGHT to pay RENT!"

They all burst out laughing. SD Giancarlo sniffled, his eyes wobbly with tears. "It's not funny. I almost got killed when she decided to visit me again the last time. Orlando got SO scared he threw me halfway across the whole equestrian field and had me landed under thundering hooves of my fellow polo players' horses' team. I was mush for almost a YEAR."

SD Asaya gave him a pat on the back, looking like a miniature Princess Garnet sans the breathtaking and awesome Alexandrian crown and gown. "Don't worry, it's alright. I've been through worse scrapes, and my horse actually dragged me the whole length of the equestrian field because 'they' thought it amusing to scare him when he's already too flighty. I was hospitalized for an entire YEAR."

The BBA – Blade Breakers Team became instantly silent, shocked to hear something like THAT done to Asaya. SD Giancarlo was very thankful.

"Thanks, you really ARE a Goddess sent down from HEAVEN! How can I repay you for your KINDNESS~~~?!"

"You could start by unlocking your evil fingers away from her hands." Ralf Nuygens (Robert) grinned. "Hello, Takao. It's BEEN a while."


	4. History Lessons And Team Europe Gripes

"Hey!" Takao grins. "Doing fine! I hope everything's alright back at the castle."

"Nothing I can't handle," Ralf told him. "Johann's been incredibly fussy lately, but that's just about it. How about you? Still the human vacuum cleaner?"

"Yup, and he's become SO much worse," SD Max said with a laugh. "We ought to ask the court for a restraining order – say, about 500 meters away from ANY buffet table."

"That'll be the day." Ralf noticed Tsukiyo and Asaya. "Oh? You have guests with you?"

"Oops, sorry, I FORGOT!" SD Takao nodded. "Ralf, I'd like you to meet my childhood buddy, Tsukiyo Shinohara, and our newest Bey tech, and assistant to Professor, Asaya Ninomiya."

"Hello," Ralf said. "It's a wonderful honor to meet you 2."

"Hi," Tsukiyo said, blinking.

"Hello," Asaya said with a smile.

SD Giancarlo blinked. "Are you related to Max or something? You ALWAYS smile, like he does all the time…"

SD Asaya shook her head, looking cute. "I'm sorry, it's just my nature."

The BBA Team and Team Europe went into the Ballroom proper. One side was designated as the buffet area, where several white tuxedoed waiters and servers bustled about, the waiters having circular trays in their raised hands, serving champagne and _hors d' ouvres_ to the guests. They spotted Johnny McGregor sulking by his lonesome by one of the many groups that hung by the other side of the room, near the makeshift stage where an orchestra (^^;;) was preparing for later.

"Hey Johnny!" Max greeted him. "How are you?"

"I was doing great till you guys came along," Johnny replied with a boyish grin. "Hi."

"You've been sulking here for the last 5 hours already, why don't you go mingle with the rest of the guests?" Giancarlo asked him.

"I happen to like it here," Johnny replied. "Besides, I'm hiding from someone."

"His fiancee," Oliver added helpfully. "Her name's Lindsay Lancaster. She's SO pinched-up high society she makes all of us GAG."

"Huh?! You're going to get HITCHED?" SD Takao asked him, blinking.

"Yup, Father was becoming too disagreeable lately," Johnny replied with a little of his sulking demeanor coming back. "Don't ask me how I got engaged." 

"She's a Lancastrian?" Asaya asked him.

"Pure and true," Johnny replied. "If Father's going to make one quip about me taking a trip to the House of Lords, I'm going to SCREAM."

"What's a Lancastrian?" Lei asked Asaya.

"They're a very old noble family, dating from the reign of Henry IV, who founded the House of Lancaster. They were England's ruling family from 1399 – 1461. They were famous for their involvement in the Wars of the Roses." Asaya nodded. "The Wars of the Roses were so called because of the respective emblems of each family involved in this 15th century English civil war: the white rose for the House of York, and the red rose for the House of Lancaster. The war ended with the establishment of the House of Tudor on the English throne."

"Wow," SD Takao said, blinking. "You sure know a lot of things…"

"Of course, she's the St. Ingrid's Convent prodigy." Pierre came up from behind Ralf, blinking. "We were beginning to worry if you guys got caught in a horrific traffic jam getting here. There's a huge group of young men barricading the entire highway just this instant."

"Pierre!" Asaya said, surprised. 

"Hi," Pierre replied. He blinks. "I believe those young men call themselves as the 'Asaya Ninomiya Cheering Brigade'…"

"Oh dear," Asaya said, turning SD.

"Hello Vervain," Oliver said with a smile. "I was beginning to worry I won't be seeing you this particular night. I thought you locked yourself up in the pantry again."

"Pantry?" Kasi asked, blinking.

"You were being MEAN!" SD Pierre said, becoming fire engine red. "You said I was better off gone than have Asaya as my…as my…"

"Bride?" Max added hopefully.

SD Pierre blushed even more, then he went off towards the direction of the other Guild members, who looked quite dapper in their designer tuxedo suits. Ralf blinked.

"I didn't know the Guild would be here," he says with a frown.

"?" Takao was puzzled, seeing how the rest of Team Europe become tense at seeing the Guild.

"We'll talk to you guys later," Oliver said. "We're over next to the orchestra."

They left. Llewelyn went over to them and smiled apologetically.

"Did Pierre become disagreeable again? I'm sorry."

"Where did he go?" Lei asked.

"Scooted to a CR somewhere," Alphonse replied. "Don't worry, he'll come around. So, you guys came here without any major problems?" 


	5. Eyes On Me

The talks soon died down and soon, somebody lightly tapped his wine glass to signal the beginning of the speech. It was none other than the President of France himself, Jacques Herrault.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and I am most delighted and honored to see you all here gathered tonight! As you might know by now, our country would be playing host to the World Bey Blading Championship Tournament that would start tomorrow, in the newly built stadium over by the River Seine. I am quite aware of the popularity of the sport, and yes, I do get quite a heck of an exercise practicing my Bey skills on my 7 year old daughter, Lisette. Well, not that I'm really rusty, but…my neighbors have been complaining about a 45 year old man running loose on the fields of the Presidential Palace with a Shooter clamped in my mouth and chasing a runaway Bey Blade. It's true; police were summoned more than once to drive away that lunatic running across the lawn."

At this, the audience laughed, and the French President waited until it died down again to continue.

"Well, it would be wonderful to be young again, is it not? At least the police won't be chasing a 45 year old man, and yes, I could outrun them! But this sport is definitely for those who think Beys are just tops to play with. Bey Blading is as intricate and as challenging as any sport out there, it's not just about letting berserk spinning tops on your opponent. It is about strategy. It is about sportsmanship. It is about camaraderie. And most of all, it is about trust and friendship. Tomorrow, we shall witness the dawning of a new age in Bey Blading, as 36 teams from all over the world – yes, 36 teams of them brave young men and women – would be competing for the top plum of being called the best Bey Bladers of the entire world. Being the best simply does not mean you win the championship, my esteemed combatants. It means finding the true strength that lies within you, and within your other teammates. All in all, whatever danger, whatever challenge that would find you, you would all see to it until the end, and you would have no regrets because…you fought and gave your entire heart and soul to it. That is, I believe…the truest, deepest essence of being a Bey Blader." The President smiled. "So now let us raise our glasses and toast to this wonderful event that would be happening. And together with the Bey Blade Battle Association Chairman Gogoro Daitenji – who had flown in especially from Japan to give blessings to this wonderful occasion – and Dr. Althens Leimrey, the man responsible for the wonderful Guild, who has seen through all preparations in bringing this once in a lifetime event to millions of you Bey Blade fans and players around the world – I officially declare, WE officially declare…the World Bey Blade Championship Tournament OPEN~~~!!! Thank you!"

There was a tumultuous round of applause, and loud cheers from every table in the room: 36 tables where each team sat, and surrounding 100 tables were the other guests sat. Takao was cheering very loudly, laughing; the BBA Team were seated right in the middle of the entire Ballroom. "Hear, HEAR!"

Lei clapped also as loudly then let his gaze wander around the room. He saw Shao, and his heart stopped. He was seated a few tables away from them, along with the rest of the Black Tigers Team: Mao, and 2 other guys he didn't know. 

The whole tumultuous round of applause faded into the background when Lei and Mao happened to look into each others' eyes. Mao just narrowed her eyes at him and looked away, with a toss of her head. She was dressed in a deep gold colored _cheongsam_ and her hair was in a tight chignon on top of her head, held in place with cloisonne combs; she wore pearls in her ears, and she held a fan. She leaned over to whisper something in Shao's ear, and Shao looked over at Lei, smiling coldly. He gave a little wave.

Lei looked away quickly. Max caught the gesture and sighed. It would be a long and bloody fight, but he knew Lei had to hang in there.

He has to.

The dance was the main event of the evening. Naturally, everybody wanted to take a dance with both Tsukiyo and Asaya, and Tsukiyo had a rather hard time keeping her new admirers at bay. Max gallantly offered to become her partner, seeing that Kai was just quiet, and were deaf and blind to all the looks and calls the other girls in the room gave him. Lei was just as quiet, and as "insensitive". Max was worried about Lei, so before Tsukiyo dragged him away, he smiled at him kindly.

"Why don't you go ask Asaya to dance? I'm sure her bodyguards are heartily tired of keeping all her admirers in check, and they're breaking into their defenses already. I mean…you could ask her about your Mao gripes now."

"I don't want to bether her now."

"HELLO! Lei, just try talk to her, please? Dance? You look like you need to talk to somebody."

"MAX! Let's GO!" SD Tsukiyo said frantically. "That guy is heading towards this WAY!"

"God…is that BORIS?!" SD Max blinked. "OK, Lei, see you later."

They both scooted off to the dance floor. Takao was miraculously nowhere to be found, and he was nowhere near the buffet table. He was dancing with a girl from the Iceland team, and he tried not to look too excited about it. Kai was just quietly looking through the crowds, measuring everybody's strengths and weaknesses, and Lei was in turmoil, he wasn't sure if he should go hide somewhere or run for the hotel.

"Go to her," Kai told him, without taking his eyes off the Finland team, who started talking in Finnish right in front of him. "I'm OK by myself. You need to talk to someone and let that off your chest."

"But…are you sure…"

"I'm fine. Now GO."

Lei smiled at him gratefully and started looking for Asaya. Max and Kai were right, he needed someone to talk to, and that was…Asaya.

But…why?

Lei went through the dancing couples, searching for the familiar gilded starry head. Giovanni was most helpful.

"Asaya? I think she's back there. All those guys were like so…RABID."

Lei went, his heart considerably lightening, knowing that he had someone to talk to at last. But just as he went outside the terrace, he heard something that made him stop.

"I'm really glad you came back…to me. I was really worried, and…you didn't even write or call…"

Llewelyn's voice? Lei ducked behind a topiary rosebush and peeked from behind the leaves.

"I'm sorry. Everything was just too hurried. Mr. Yamaeda had been extremely worried, and if they should trace me back to Japan…"

Lei's eyes widened. Asaya…?

"They would still try and hurt you." Llewelyn sighed, his blue eyes expressive. "Asaya, I promised."

"I know. And I'm thankful." Asaya looked up at him, smiling so tenderly and so beautifully up at him. Lei's heart gave a painful lurch for some strange reason.

"I'm really glad I saw you again." Llewelyn took her hand, then smiled as tenderly and as beautifully down at her. "I'm really glad you came back to me."

Asaya's eyes became expressive. "Llewelyn…"

Lei couldn't take this anymore. Blood was pounding in his ears, and his heart was hammering very loudly in his chest, and he became scared that she might actually hear it. Thoughts of actually talking to her melted away as Lei saw him bend over to give her a…

KISS?

Lei backed off, then he fled from that scene, mortified. He never knew his heart could hurt as bad, but why? WHY? He would be OK, he always was OK. He didn't need to talk to Asaya. He didn't need to.

But why did his threat feel so hollow?

Lei was crying and he didn't know it and he hurriedly left the terrace, the dance floor, and eventually came back to the table, his heart inexplicably torn to shreds.

As for what was happening outside…

Llewleyn did lean over and looked at the medallion he gave Asaya on her palm.

"It's time that you give him this," Llewelyn said with a nod. "It's time that 'they' should be given back to him."

"I will, Llewelyn, thanks!" SD Asaya gave him a hug, her eyes beautiful like starlight.

" 'They' should return to him again, after years of sleeping. It's a good thing he met you, or else, everything would be lost." Llewelyn smiled. "I'm very happy for you."

"Mmm-hmm!" SD Asaya smiled very happily. "What do you say we celebrate with _Ceresia_ kicking you on your derriere?!"

SD Llewelyn gave a boyish, wicked grin. "_Gestalt_ says you're ON! Let's go, they must be heartily tired of waiting for us by now."

Laughing, the 2 best friend –Aurans- held each others' hands and went in. Little did they know the silver-haired young man was watching them from the shadows.

And he was smiling like they did. 


	6. Driger Reborn

SD Asaya was smiling as Giovanni and Alphonse both dropped her off at their hotel room a little while later.

"Thank you very much! I was beginning to worry Pierre was ready to jump into the River Seine with an anchor about his neck. Thanks for stopping him, Alphonse."

"It was nothing. For a while back there, I thought he was really serious." Alphonse nodded. "Good night, squirt. Good luck on your exhibition match tomorrow. Is Sigismund all ready and raring to go?"

"Yes. I think he's also very excited to meet Zerzens again." SD Asaya nodded. "Thank you and good night to you, too."

Giovanni gave her an affectionate pat on the head and grinned. "Don't let the bed bugs bite, squirt. See you tomorrow."

"Good night, Giovanni."

Asaya got the spare key of the hotel room then let herself in. She closed the door and was about to march into the kitchen for a glass of cold water when Lei's voice made her stop.

"Where have you been?"

"O-oh! Lei…" Asaya blinked. "You're still awake…you have a match tomorrow…"

Lei stood up from the shadows where he sat, then stepped into the dim light of the standing lamp by the sofa. "It's OK. I'm used to it. And you have a match yourself."

"Oh…yes." Asaya blinked again. "Lei…are you fine? Did something happen?"

"I'm fine." Lei had his head bowed, his bangs throwing his face into shadow. "Well…I'm glad you arrived OK. I was…beginning to worry."

"I'm sorry! I didn't know…" Asaya looked at the clock by the kitchen and saw that it proclaimed 12:30 a.m. "God Lei, you waited for ME. I told Max I'll be fine by myself, and yes, somebody took me home…"

"Was it Llewelyn?"

Asaya started at the strained tension she heard in his voice. "N-no, it was Giovanni and Alphonse…"

"…"

"OK, I'll…just drink myself a glass of water, and off to bed I trot." Asaya turned to walk into the kitchen.

"Asaya…"

Asaya stopped and looked at him. She looked so fragile and so vulnerable and…for a whole minute, Lei thought her BEAUTIFUL. She was still that starry gilded Faerie he had met, and it was so strange to think of her now as somebody so far away for him to reach, even if she said she was going to be his friend, if he so needs one, aside from Takao, Max, Kai, Professor, and Tsukiyo. 

Lei used to think that she was just a friend.

But…now, he wasn't sure if he could stay the same, acting the same around her.

"Lei?"

Lei looked at her, his amber yellow eyes filled with such a very strong emotion that sent Asaya blinking. He wanted to tell her something, but what?

"Sorry…" Lei shook his head. "I…Asaya…good luck tomorrow."

"Uh…good luck to you too, Lei." Asaya watched Lei as he went into his room and locked the door behind him.

What was that all about?

Takao mowed through breakfast like a mower on hyper nitro infusion that next morning. Professor sweatdropped, and he gave an exasperated sigh.

"I give UP. Takao, if you return to that buffet table again, I SWEAR I'm going to hang myself."

"I'm all done anyway." Takao drank the cold water in 3 huge gulps and grinned. "Wow, I can't believe it's the CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT!"

"Behave yourself Takao, you're dribbling crumbs all over the place," Kai told him, as he wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin.

"I can't help it. I'm SOOOO EXCITED!"

"Lei, you didn't eat much," Max whispered as Kai and Takao began exchanging words of "encouragement" (^^;;) at staccato pace. He became worried. "Are you feeling fine?"

"Yeah, don't worry," Lei answered quietly.

"Where's Asaya?" Tsukiyo asked.

"She left early for the stadium," Professor replied. "She looked harried about something."

"OK," Tsukiyo replied.

Chairman Daitenji came to pick them up a little while later.

"Oh, good morning, people! Are you all set and ready to go?"

"YEAH!" SD Takao was grinning very happily. "I'm so excited, I could hardly EAT!"

All of them fell down on their heads. SD Kai had a huge pulsing vein on top of his head.

"WHAT~~~?! Do you call mowing through 3 OVERLADEN tables of FOOD the idea of hardly EATING?!"

They all left for the limousine that was to take them to the stadium proper. Chairman Daitenji smiled then stopped Lei as they were about to leave the hotel restaurant. "Lei. I believe Miss asaya wanted to give this to you. She says she's sorry, she hasn't the heart to wake you up earlier, you needed all the strength you can get for the match."

Lei blinked and stared at it. It was a small octagonal box.

"I'll see you at the limo," Chairman Daitenji told him. Lei took off the cover of the box and his eyes widened.

Inside was his Driger. It was reworked, improved, and looked especially nice. A small note was attached on the inside of the cover.

I christen thee Gran Driger.

You could call him anything you want, he's yours, anyway.

I hope I did everything right.

Driger's so lucky to have you as his master!

Good luck!

-Asaya J 

Gran Driger?

Lei nodded, and he slowly smiled. She believed in him. She believed Driger had chosen him worthy, and she believed him worthy of having Driger.

"Lei, hurry!"

"Coming, Takao." Lei's heart was light as he covered the box again and went after Takao.

For now he was sure that he would be able to fight with everything he had.

Why?

Because Asaya believed in him.

And that was all there is to it.


	7. Prophecy

****

BLADED!

"_Seven Seals forgotten to time_

Earth, Wind, Fire, Water

Sun, Moon, Star

Creation, Destruction

All bent to One

That is 

Nothingness…"

faint inscription on Dr. Junji Ninomiya's small notebook, possibly referring to the ancient writings of the fabled Shrine of Eden, where it was believed all –Holy Beasts- had originated from.

"…_two always two_

Need for

Light and Darkness,

-Judge- and –Keeper-,

The Tempest abates by thine eyes

Is this

The end?"

faint inscription on old clay tablet found in Dr. Kinogu's travels, possibly some prophecy of some sort.

"_Heaven shall weep_

With amber tears

Until Earth cries out

And tear everything asunder."

old song in Edarin, found in Shrine of Eden. Was everything sealed for Heaven's worst judgment…?

Tournament

"….goooooOOOOOOODDDDD MOOOOOORRRRRNNNNIIIIIIINNNNGGGGG~~~~~!!!" DJ (DJ Jazzman?!) was grinning very widely as he greeted all the spectators and teams alike as they entered the new Seine Stadium, where the Tournament would be held. "Hello and WELCOME, EVERYBODY! How are you all on this FINE DAY?! Well, I could clearly SEE that most of you people didn't get enough sleep last night, because of that spine-tingling excitement and anticipation, of the World Bey Blading Championship TOURNAMENT! I could safely say that this is going to prove to be the BEST Tournament the BBA has to offer the past 4 years, and that is because, all teams present on this wonderful, WONDERFUL occasion are the BEST their native countries have to OFFER!"

The spectators let out a wild cheer and tumultuous applause. DJ waited until the cheers died down to continue.

"And REALLY strong teams too, I might ADD! It is because every team is the resident champion of their countries, and all of them are in their BEST, TOP CONDITION! They aren't just ordinary Bladers, they simply ARE what Bey Blading is all ABOUT! Now, before we proceed to the contest/tournament proper, let us all give a round of applause, to our beloved Bey Blade Battle Association Chairman from Japan, Mr. Gogoro DAITENJI~~~!!!"

The audience burst into wild applause again. Chairman Daitenji smiled as he took his place beside DJ, then waved at them cordially. He waited for the applause to die down before continuing.

"Good morning, everyone! I am very pleased to see you all here. My, Bey Blading has become EXTREMELY popular, and yes, I still get staggered every once in a while by the amount of Bey Blading fans that are born and continue to be born every single day! And I assure you, their dedication and patience rival even those of the champions present here today – I wouldn't be too surprised if we have a Bey Blading champion who's only 9! Well, anyway, I am here today to personally thank you for your unwavering support for our most beloved sport of Bey Blading. And for that, I am very pleased to announce that the Guild has arranged a special 'gift' for us, so to speak, so that we would be more heartened by the fact that Bey Blade won't EVER die and is HERE to STAY!" 

"Wow, is that the exhibition match?" one of the guys stationed near the inner stadium asked.

"I wonder who'll fight…"

"I'm excited! I can't wait!"

"…" Takao blinked, as he sat on one of the chairs surrounding the entire ring proper down below. "Gee, Bey Masters…? I wonder how they could Bey…"

"I hear they're really good," Max says, nodding. "Plus we saw 2 of them in action already: Llewelyn and Asaya. It's no doubt this is going to be one AWESOME match!"

"And without further adieu (ado?! I stand corrected HERE!), I would like you ALL to meet, the Guild - Bey Masters TEAM~~~!!!"

All of them turned to look at the other end of the stadium, where a silver sliding hatch opened. Professor blinked, and his eyes (where, where WHERE?!) widened. "WOW!"

"Wow" was an understatement. From their Guild armor suits and their really impressive demeanor, it was very clear that they were not one team to be crossed: 5 of them standing in the spotlights that shone down upon them, making them look like they were medieval knights instead of 21st century Bladers. 

Takao blinked, then stared at them: Giovanni was wearing a red armor suit with a sash about him from left to right, on which was emblazoned a fantastic embroidered red fiery firedrake; Kieran was wearing a similar outfit except it was yellow and had an embroidered tiamat on it; and similar with Sigurd, Alphonse, and Pierre, and they have embroidered falcon (green), chimaera (gold), and undine (blue) respectively. They also have weapons strapped on their backs by means of elegantly metalworked weapon guards higlighted with their own colors: Giovanni had a wicked-looking poleaxe with fluttering ribbons; Kieran had a wooden staff with yellow gems on either end; Sigurd had a quiver of arrows and a bow (like Legolas'! ^.^); Alphonse had a sharp lance with many intricate engravings. Pierre was the only one who held his weapon…a flute made of a translucent sky blue material, and a bell on one end.

"?" SD Max was puzzled. "I thought this was a Bey Blade match…"

"And where's Asaya?" Professor asked.

As if one cue, a circular hatch opened, and there was a sound of an elevator moving. Lei blinked, and his eyes widened as the spotlights shone down on each of the elevator which had suddenly come up on either ends of the circular battle area: it was Llewelyn and Asaya. They wore armor suits like those of their teammates, only this time around, theirs were more intricate: Llewelyn's had attendant shoulder banners (^^;;), and his sash was made of a black material edged with silver: on it was embroidered the _lich_. Asaya's sash was similarly made, only on it was embroidered the _aedin_, the 6-angel winged dragon. She had shoulder banners, as well, and a ribbon at the small of her back in the manner of a small _o-taiko_ bowed _obi_. Llewelyn wore black, and Asaya wore cream.

***_Light and Darkness…_*** Kai thought, his eyes widening. _***Is THIS…?!_***

"Alright, are you READY~~~?!" DJ raised his hand in the air.

"3…"

Llewelyn's eyes narrowed. Asaya's eyes did, as well.

"2…"

A wind blew in, possibly coming from the aircon, but Lei was surprised. 

***_Reiki?!?_***

"1…"

Takao's hands were curled up into tiny fists. The audience was completely quiet, and were very impressed by the way the 2 Bladers (?) faced each other without any emotion whatsoever. Kai found it CREEPY.

"GO…SHHHOOOOOOOTTTTTT~~~~~!!!!" 


	8. The Fast And Doubly Furious

There was a blinding flash of light, and Takao's eyes widened.

"~~~~!!! What the HELL~~~?!"

Zerzens and Sigismund shot out from out of nowhere and entered the arena. They circled the entire length of it, sending sparks and were surrounded by curling tendrils of wind as it moved. Llewelyn's eyes narrowed further, and he gripped the hilt of his sword at the back. Asaya swiped her arms, and then, they were greeted by another flash of light.

Professor gulped. "This is…this is UNREAL!"

Llewelyn whipped his arms, and struck an attack stance. His 2 broadswords glinted in the harsh spotlights, its bejeweled hilts engraved with intertwined _lich_ and silver/black metal. His eyes were cold as ice.

"Ready whenever you are, Asaya!"

Asaya swiped her arms again and struck an attack stance, as well. Her 2 slender rapiers flashed back, its slender blades making crescent arcs of light as she swiped it again before taking the said stance. Its hilts were finely engraved with swirling designs of silver and stylized workings of blossoms, and worked with fluted guards, looking like the wings of angels…no, more like seraphs, even. Delicately embroidered ribbons with feather designs fluttered from the end of each rapier. 

Her clearest amethyst eyes became slits.

"_En garde_, FALSTAFF~~~!!!"

The 2 Bladers rushed at each other. The whole audience gasped. Mao's eyes became wide.

"W…what THE~~~?!"

There was a clash of swords, and soon, Llewelyn and Asaya jumped back for a while, measuring their opponent. Then they rushed at each other again, their Beys going about them in graceful arcs, and from what Professor could deduce…

"~~~!!!" Professor was aghast. "They're using their BEYS as their secondary WEAPONS~~~!!!"

All hell broke loose. Llewelyn and Asaya went through their deadly routine, like a very surreal ballet where their music was the sound of their sharp clashing swords and their dance steps were a very dangerous _pas de deux_ where one slip could prove to be VERY fatal. They moved like mini-tornadoes suddenly tearing across the landscape, and Kai was suddenly afraid that if their powers were unleashed, the whole stadium might explode.

The audience watched, rapt and very awestruck. The Beys were shooting frantically about the arena, encircling their respective owners, then shooting off again, there missing Llewelyn's face by a hair, there missing a micrometer off Asaya's left arm, all the while their owners were engaged in fast and furious swordplay. It was SO intense it was like watching 2 Battousais in action, and Takao suddenly thought that it might be like this when the infamous slasher was on the loose in the Tokugawa Shogunate.

DJ was very wide-eyed.

"Can you SEE those, FOLKS?! Can you SEE THOSE?! My, we have a very fast and furious swordfight-cum-Bey Blade duel, as Llewelyn Falstaff unleashes his terrible Zerzens on Asaya Ninomiya and her equally dangerous SIGISMUND! Who would win, who would LOSE?! God, I'd be TERRIFIED if I happen to challenge these Bladers ANY GIVEN DAY~~~!!!"

Llewelyn took one humongous swing that sent Asaya skidding off him. He gritted his teeth.

"Zerzens! Feint time, DOUBLE! REQUIEM FEIST!"

Zerzens emitted that strange black light sequence again and the _lich_ appeared, looking more murderous than it ever was when Lei first encountered him. The whole BBA Team sat there with their mouths hanging wide open.

It started zigzagging towards Asaya at an incredible speed. Professor gulped again. "Is he going to get her for REAL?!"

Asaya's eyes narrowed again and deflected the Zerzens by means of the flat of her blades. It shot straight up, soaring high above them like an ominous black projectile. She clenched her fists.

"Sigismund! Overdrive, SHOOT! EDEN STRIKE~~~!!!"

Sigismund shot up and went after Zerzens. It emitted a cream-colored light, and soon, the seraphic _aedin_ appeared, roaring as it came after Zerzens. Flowing ancient gold script appeared in a circle about Sigismund, and ribbons of light came and twirled about him by the hundreds. It shot after the _lich_, and it roared back at the _aedin_ in return.

The 2 –Holy Beasts- met halfway, and a tremendous amount of _reiki_ swept across the stadium. It showed them fighting way up the arena, curling tendrils of black and white light intertwined about each other, the _lich_'s black flames burning the _aedin_'s pure white glowing feathers. Professor couldn't believe it.

"Their –Holy Beasts-…their respective powers are way off the SCALE!"

Asaya gripped the hilts of her rapiers, as Llewelyn took another huge swipe at her again that sent her flying. At that precise instant, Zerzens dropped off from the stadium air space and missed Asaya by a nanosecond as she quickly jumped off to safety.

"~~~!!!" Lei's eyes widened, and he was aghast. "ASAYA~~~!!!"

Asaya rolled off, then rushed towards Llewelyn, undaunted. Zerzens made another shoot to hit her, and soon, Sigismund dropped in as well and deflected Zerzens' attack with its shield attack.

The fighting resumed again, their respective Beys doing their own thing in the background. DJ was blinking.

"There he goes…OUCH! That's GONNA hurt…and another…and…WATCH OUT FOR THAT BEY~~~!!! Oh…LOOK OUT! Asaya and Llewelyn are REALLY good! This is turning out to be even more FUN than first expected! Alright, Zerzens doing that black light attack again, Sigismund with its cream colored one…there they GO~~~!!!"

Kai was wide-eyed.

"I WON'T be defeated that EASILY!" Llewelyn's eyes flashed. "MOON SLAYER!"

Zerzens shot towards Sigismund, an evil red glow emanating from it, along with the black light. Asaya watched as Llewelyn rushed towards her again, his double swords swinging. Asaya clenched her fists.

"Oh NO you WON'T! SERAPHIC FEATHER~~~~!!!"

Several glowing purest white feathers scattered and Sigismund shot towards Zerzens. Max, Kai, Lei, Takao and Professor's eyes all widened, a close-up shot of all their shocked faces, along with DJ and the rest of the other teams and the audience. 

There was another blinding flash of light, and DJ was squinting and waited for it to fade. What he saw made him gasp.

"WHAT~~~?!" Kai stood up, his eyes very wide. 


	9. Lei Gets Nekofied!

The audience waited in tense anticipation for the light to fade.

"What's going on?!"

"Wow, did you SEE that?!?"

"AWESOME!"

DJ blinked, as soon as he saw the arena. He turned SD and had his arms out in a very surprised manner. "WHAAAAATTTT~~~~?!"

The whole audience leaned forward to look, and they all let out a collective gasp.

The 2 Bladers were GONE!

In their place was the very destroyed arena, its edges so worn out from the intense spinning of the Beys that they hollowed it out very smoothly (considering that it was a flat surface before). Smoke curled up from the edges, and as Takao watched, ribbons of light dissipated into nothingness.

"Where are they…" Max whispered, looking from left to right.

"And their Beys…?" Professor says with a gulp.

Lei's eyes became worried, thinking of the worst thing that could probably ever happen, then he sees a lone streak of light pass by in his mind's eye.

"~~~!!!" Lei pointed upwards. "Up THERE~~~!!!"

"H-huh?!" DJ looked upward and his eyes go VERY wide. "Holy CRIPES it is TRUE~~~!!! The 2 Bladers are fighting it out and they're both AIRBORNE~~~!!!"

The whole audience gave out another collective gasp. It was true, Llewelyn and Asaya were both exchanging nitro-infused blows over the jampacked arena, their Beys going about them like a protective shield from anything that might go their way.

Llewelyn smiled as he dealt another swing at Asaya, who parried it with her rapier. Then it came again and again, their respective blows emitting black and cream colored light, respectively. Then this time he smiled tenderly.

*^*_You've become extremely GOOD. I'm impressed._*^*

Asaya smiled back at him as well.

*^*_You did, too. I was scared I might actually lose to you._*^*

*^*_Yeah, those whitecoated freaks sure did their job of making me like 'this'. Damn it, if only I could do something about it…_*^*

*^*_Hey, don't WORRY! I'm back, right? This time our fight would be finished. And all of us would be free…_*^*

*^*_I hope to God that would be RIGHT._*^* Llewelyn's eyes narrowed. *^*_But I guess this is the time when I let the curtain fall. I won't hold BACK!_*^*

*^*_Nor would I, Falstaff._*^* Asaya nodded. *^*_Let's rip it!_*^*

Zerzens and Sigismund emitted their lights again, and the 2 –Holy Beasts- shot out and intertwined about each other and their respective masters.

Llewelyn rushed towards her, double broadswords bared.

"SHADOW GEIST~~~!!!"

Asaya struck with her rapiers.

"HOLY BRAND~~~!!!"

Another light explosion took place, and all of them shielded their eyes from the blinding glare that ensued. DJ wore shades, and he blinked.

Llewelyn took a graceful somersault in the air and landed squarely on his 2 feet. Asaya took a graceful somersault as well, and landed on both her feet. Their backs were against each other, they were on either side of the arena where they started out, and held their swords as correctly as swordsmen would hold them after a match. Their Beys shot down from up above, and both wobbled haphazardly before they both dipped and stopped spinning and became still.

The audience were silent for a couple of seconds. Llewelyn was breathing heavily, and Asaya was breathing heavily as well, but they each retained their pose and didn't fret.

"Ladies and gentlemen…after that fast and furious fight, the honorary judges have come to a conclusion…that the result of this exhibition match…is a DRAW!" DJ raised his arms in the air. "That was one AWESOME MATCH! A truly great opening salvo for the World Bey Blading Championship TOURNAMENT~~~!!! Everybody, let's give a round of applause…to Llewelyn Falstaff AND Asaya Ninomiya!"

The audience roared and cheered wildly. SD Takao looked like he'd already died and had gone to nirvana.

"Wow wow wow…heh heh heh heh…"

"Takao?" Professor asked, blinking.

"He's in a state of euphoric shock. I can't blame him. They were both AWESOME!" Max grinned. "I think I know now why one wouldn't want a pissed-off –Auran- breathing down his neck."

Lei was quiet. Kai was quiet, as well, his eyes still wide.

"Alright Bladers! After that very awesome display of superior Bey Blading, it is time for you to go register on your respective blocks!" DJ held a piece of paper in his hand. "As you all know, there are 36 teams registered to play in this tournament, and as a result, the Championship Tournament Committee has decided to split the teams into 4 distinct blocks! They are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. Each block has their own respective assigned Blade Keeper – that's a snazzed-up mini-CEO for you – whose job is to make each battle fought fair and square, and it is in his jurisdiction to award points and deduct points as he sees fit, or even disqualify a team from playing. Each block contains 9 teams, 9 teams to battle for Bey Blading supremacy – so you can be sure that this would be a VERY tough competition. The competition is divided into prelims, semifinals and finals in EACH block – yes, children, you have to go through EACH of these events BEFORE you could even think of stepping outside your respective block. Each block champion will then have to fight each others' block champions through prelims, semis, and the ULTIMATE championship round between the 2 BEST Bladers of the remaining 2 block champions. The winner of course, would be hailed as the 2003 World Bey Blade CHAMPIONS~~~!!!"

"Wow, this is going to be REALLY tough," Max said, blinking.

"Well then. You are listed on the Gamma block." Chairman Daitenji went over to his home team and smiled. "You would need lots of intense practice and sheer determination and concentration on your side to be able to see to the end of this tournament. These teams aren't ordinary Bladers as you first thought they would be."

"Heh heh heh heh heh…" SD Takao's eyes were huge with sparkly highlights. "Chairman Daitenji, you DON'T have to tell me twice. Wow, I'm REALLY excited!"

"So…are we going to Bey here?" Lei asked, blinking.

"Oh no! This stadium is especially built for the majors. The minors would be fought in each satellite stadium located in and around Paris. You guys would be fighting over at the Eiffel Stadium."

"I see…"

"Takao! Max! Kai! Professor! LEI!" SD Asaya was waving at them from the edge of the arena, where she was alone. Her other teammates were swarmed with the foreign media and of course didn't get to greet them. "So how are you all feeling so far?"

"Nervous but excited." SD Takao turned his sparkly eyed visage at Asaya, and he was short of kowtowing before her. "Wow Asaya you were REALLY REALLY AWESOME!"

"Thanks, Takao," Asaya said with a grin. She looked over at Lei. "Lei, did you receive the package I sent you?"

"U-uh…y-yes…!" SD Lei became chibi neko, his face very red. "Thank you."

"It was nothing, Lei. I'm glad I was able to help." Asaya smiled at him, Nadeshiko Kinomoto style. "If you have any more Bey problems, Professor and I are here to help. OK?"

SD chibi neko Lei became even more minute.

"I'll be heading over to the Eiffel Stadium, I'll just tell Llewelyn and the others over there~~~"

"Miss ASAYAAAAA~~~~!!!" A huge mountainload of bouquets, stuffed toys, chocolates, and books were dropped on an unsuspecting SD Asaya and she was drowned by them. Her Asaya Ninomiya Cheering Brigade were suddenly there in full force, and all of them were crying, with their eyes little slits and pouring over with wavy torrents of tears.

"A…aaa…aaaaccckkk…"

"Miss Asaya, you were AWESOME!"

"Can you do that striking pose again?! I have to download it and send it via e-mail to my groupies back at SENDOUJI~~~!!!"

"I have the _Arcandia_ lineup, all complete – I didn't forget the limited edition Iori Yagami plushie you SOO dearly WANTED!"

"Can I hug YOU?! Can I, CAN I?!"

"Let's go Lei, we'll be late for registration…" Max told him.

"…"

"Lei…?"

"Uh…yes! Right away!" Lei took another look at her, then quickly went after Takao, Kai, and Professor. Max blinked.

***_Eh…? Did I miss something out AGAIN?!_***


	10. Siblings and Goings

BBA Team VS Team Portugal 

"Excuse me! EXCUSE ME!" 

"Coming through!"

"OUCH!"

"Sorry…"

"Your elbow is in my FACE!"

Takao blinked, as he watched the chaos that was unfolding his very eyes as soon as they stepped through the new Eiffel Stadium, with Chairman Daitenji in tow. "Wow, I didn't realize we'd all be this MANY…"

There were kids around his age as far as their eyes can see. Some of them were younger, but not much: and there were lots of talk going on around them, in several languages. Some of them were finished registering and were fixing a bit of their Beys here and there; still others talked on with interpreters and others who looked like they were going to be really sick in a minute.

Takao was still wide-eyed when he hears his name being called. He turns to look.

"TTTAAAKKKKAAAAOOOOO~~~!!!" SD Yuri Ivanova (Tala) came running towards him and glomped him in full view of the other wide-eyed members of the BBA Team. He grinned. "Hey, I was beginning to worry you won't be showing up."

"What…you've registered here TOO?!" SD Takao asked, wide-eyed.

"Nah, I'm here for my sister's team," Yuri replies with a grin. "She plays for the Iceland Team."

"Iceland…?!" SD Takao has now become VERY wide-eyed. "You MEAN~~~?!"

"Hey…Takao Kinogu, isn't it?" Freyja Stross smiled at him, her twin gold and cream streaked red-haired pigtails bobbing at either side of her head. "Wow. You're registered here too?"

"Y-yeah." SD Takao looked over at Yuri. "She's your sister?"

"We got separated when the Abbey took me in," Yuri explained. "My mom left for Iceland when my dad died, and she met Uncle Sven and had Freyja. I only learned about it 4 years ago, after ***that*** tournament. I'm living there with them right now, and I'm really happy. Uncle Sven's really cool."

"Of course you remember Lei, Kai, Max, Professor?" Takao said, gesturing to the rest of the BBA Team. Max grinned as always, Lei smiled a little, Professor was nodding, while Kai was quiet.

"Still quiet as always, Hiwatari. Balkov (Boris) said you were the strongest one among us, and yes, I could still see that now." Yuri nodded. "So how are you guys all doing?"

"Fine, never better!" SD Max was grinning happily. "I'm living with my mom in the States, and I'm here on vacation. And…well…I know she'd be delighted to hear that, considering I'm a little behind Bey Blading…"

"Delighted, I am. Behind, you're NOT." Judy Mizuhara smiled. "Hello, Max."

"MOM! What are you doing HERE?" SD Max asked in surprise.

"I'm here on the Guild's invitation." Mrs. Mizuhara was smiling at them warmly. "My, you've ALL grown so much since the last time I remembered." She changed a lot, too, her blond hair, so like Max's, was now longer and reached the middle of her back. She has it tied back in a low ponytail at her nape, and she was wearing a periwinkle blue business suit with 2 strands of pearls about her neck.

"Hi Mrs. Mizuhara!" Takao grinend and elbowed Professor in the ribs, who has now become beet red. "Do you by any chance have Emily (Emily) in your set of travelling companions?"

"Actually, I came here by myself," Mrs. Mizuhara says with a small frown on her face. SD Takao became wide-eyed.

"???"

"Emily's disappeared 4 years ago," Max said, looking grave. "She just took off one day and we never saw her again. Mom said she might be somewhere on this planet, taking up further studies…but from what we've heard about her, she left MIT to become the youngest graduate ever at the age of 15 and took off to the Bermuda Triangle…that is, she's completely disappeared."

"WHAT?! You were in Japan the whole time and you didn't tell US?!" Takao was very wide-eyed.

"Sorry, slipped my mind, is all. Things were just a little too hectic on the PBB side of things." Max bit his lip. "But it is strange. Emily's so dead-set on becoming the next diector of the PBB. I wonder what changed her mind?"

They were all quiet for a while. Chairman Daitenji clears his throat. "Well, it seems that it would be best to leave things at that for now. You boys have a match to settle."

"Oh, yes!" Takao blinked. "We have to register. Chairman Daitenji, who are we up against?"

"Team Portugal," Chairman Daitenji replies with a twinkle in his eye. "They've proven themselves the best of the South American League, and I've seen how they Bey. You're going to face a very tough opponent in their team."

"OK! That's more LIKE it!" SD Takao rubbed his hands together in glee. "Alright, let's make mincemeat out of those guys."

They all set out for the registration booth, with Yuri, Freyja, Mrs. Mizuhara and Chairman Daitenji in tow. Little did they know, someone was watching them from behind the shadows.

She smiled.

"Yup, things are going to be a little more interesting from this point ON." 


	11. TAkao VS Adolfo: Where There's A Will, T...

Battle File 01: Takao VS Adolfo

"Where there's a will, there's a WAY~~~!!!"

The Eiffel Stadium, although not as large as the Seine one, was as high-tech and as new, as well. The spectators streamed through one of the 4 gates that led to the inner ring area, and soon, the seats were fast filling up with people.

And it was WEIRD. Aside from the regular spectators, there were a bunch of souvenir peddlers mixed in with the fray.

"BEY BLADE KEYCHAINS! Get 'em while you CAN!"

"BBA License CARDS! Hang one for the ultimate fun TODAY!"

"Prism STAT CARDS! Get your rare Ultimate Legends Team Cards while they're CHEAP!"

"Chocolate BLADES! Chocolate BLADES!"

"Mint TRUFFLES! Grab one for the ultimate Vervain treat to satisfy your greatest CRAVING!"

"Wow…" SD Max was wide-eyed. "What on earth HAPPENED?! Why are these souvenir sharks on the LOOSE here?!"

"Don't ask me." Kai blinked, and grabbed a nearby Kai plushie doll from a souvenir peddler's tray beside him. He turned SD with a murderous look on his face. "Since WHEN did I have PINK face TATTOOS?!"

"Oh, look, they're CUTE!" SD Takao grabbed a plushie version of himself, going very giddy. "I even have a mini-Phantom DRAGOON!"

"They even have Guild paraphernalia," Professor whispered. "They look even more AWESOME than those rip-offs…"

SD Lei had a huge sweatdrop on his head. "Yup, I do not have a smiley on MY bandanna. How right you are, Professor."

"Those come CRUDE! Hey, kid, why don't you buy from me?! I even have the latest BBA Dolls! Say…HEY! YOU'RE the BBA Team!" The man right in front of the peddler in front of them (^^;; you get the idea) grinned. "Heh, I didn't spend my time chasing you around the world wasting my BBA knowledge on those pathetic rip-offs. Won't you take a look?"

"GOD. These look EXACTLY like us." Max was very wide-eyed and impressed. "I see you've done your homework real good, my esteemed gentleman."

"Thanks!" The man flashed his BBA License Card. "My name is Yuuji Sakaguchi, member # 99-457298 of the _BBA LOADED!_ fan magazine. These come in ORIGINAL! And I have ALL Bey Blade associations around the world fitted into my little black book! I am the best BBA and Bey Blade Blader investigator around, and I've been watching your exploits VERY CLOSELY these past 4 years!" 

"Errh…right." Takao blinked. "You researched EVERYTHING on those PLUSHIES?"

"Yup, down to the littlest turn of chibi chibi _Ceresia_'s pinky on Asaya Ninomiya's trademark ice pink Jansport! I RESEARCHED thoroughly on them ALL! My plushies are always great hits with the fans, they're totally VACUUMED at the end of every single BLADE MATCH! The current hot items are the -Holy Beast- series, along with the BBA Dolls, and the Guild Dolls. Oh, and Driger is always out of stock." Yuuji stuffed a Driger plushie into blinking SD Lei's arms. "But SINCE you're the one and ONLY Lei Kon, winner of the 'Sexiest Blader Alive' 5 years in the running, contested hotly by Mr. Kai Hiwatari over THERE for a 1-2 place running…I give you a plushie Driger to end ALL plushie DRIGERS! It roars, it purrs, it even does rolling cartwheels all OVER the PLACE!"

"Uh…thanks, I think," Lei said, still blinking.

Chairman Daitenji waited until they got their fill of Yuuji's merchandise before heading down the waiting area by the ring side itself. The old man nods. "Alright, this is your first battle as the regrouped BBA Team. I sincerely pray for your victory."

"Don't worry Chairman Daitenji, we'll cream them GOOD! Boy, Dragoon plushie's so FINE, it tickles when I hit his belly button and just vibrates all over the place!"

SD Max burst out laughing when he said that, and Professor had a blank look on his face. SD Takao blinked. "WHAT?!"

"Don't ASK," SD Kai said, looking murderous again. Max insisted he wear Dranzer plushie on top of his head. It was one of those mornings when Max is on that dangerous sugar high again, and everybody was always on the edge of their seats as to who he'll victimize next.

The audience quieted down after a couple of minutes, and soon, the stadium became pitch black as the lights were all turned off. When it came back on again, several spotlights raced through the audience then came to a rest on the raised platform on top of the spanking new ring arena.

"Good MOOORRRRNNNNIIIIIINNNNGGGG~~~!!!" A woman was standing there, dressed in funky DJ clothes, consisting of a sleeveless dress with a short skirt that had slits way up until her lower thighs. She had short, maroon colored hair, and bright orange eyes that were always sparkling. She had gloves ala Videl's on her hands, and her bandanna was tied back and its tails were held down by 2 small shiny orbs. A cool Bey Blade earring hung from her left ear, and she wore boots on her feet.

She grinned. "How are you people on this lovely, lovely LOVELY DAY~~~?! I'm sure you're ALL excited by now, as you all ought to be anyway. This is the 1st battle for the Gamma Block, and yes, I would be your host to all the events that would be happening HERE~~~!!! My name is DJ Maverick, how do you DO?!"

"WOW!"

"She's HOT!"

"I think I'm in heaven…"

"Alright, before everything goes all out in the next couple of minutes, let me take this opportunity to introduce…the 2 teams that would be batlling for the first Gamma Block duel EVER! On my left side…would you please give a round of applause…to Team PORTUGAL~~~!!!"

Maverick swipes her left arm, and spotlights shone down from the ceiling and flooded the left side with light. A bunch of young men were seated there, and they stood up as the lights shone down on them. They looked like a real tough lot, and from what Kai could sense, a deep dangerous aura.

"And now, on my right side…they've been out of reach for the last 4 years, so to speak…being the World Bey Blade Champions back then has certainly turned these guys into somewhat of a legend. Could the charm work twice? Alas, only time could tell. Now please give a round of applause…to the BBA TEAM~~~!!!"

The spotlights shone down on them too. Takao blinked, then waved at the now wildly cheering audience. Sugar hyper Max started waving his arms at the audience with gusto, while Lei smiled at them. Kai was his usual quiet self.

"Alright, let me give you a run-down. Bladers, please step forward!"

Both the BBA Team and Team Portugal came forward, a few steps away from the ring arena proper.

"I want this to be a clean fight, no ifs and buts. The rules have been rehashed time and time again, so now, basically, we'll be using the same rules in Bey Blading with a few new twists. Each Blader would be given ample time to finish the match, however, due to the time constraint, each must be able to finish the fight in an hour, the Bey left spinning would be declared the winner. Remember, there would be 9 teams competing this day. Don't give me that 'ah, so' look; I assure you, the teams you would all be facing are REALLY tough, being handpicked from over 300 teams that auditioned, and that's no mean feat. Don't expect a quickie win for a few seconds' worth. These teams could leave you practically screaming at me for mercy for a time extension, so don't fight if you don't feel like it. They deserve more than just turd performances, right…they've been through living hell just to get invited here after passing the strict auditions held in their respective Bey Blade Committee area. These 36 teams that passed are the toughest of all the toughest Bladers you've faced, and you won't just be sitting pretty. 

"Now, to more of the other rules. Each match is divided into 4 sets, meaning EVERYBODY gets to BLADE. 15 minutes each would give you enough reason to panic now, won't it? Anyway, teams would be able to call a time-out and the clock counter would be stopped for the Bladers to have a thorough check-up with their respective Bey techs in case they have any problems. The team has to see through ALL 4 sets…meaning, even if you win 3 games out of 4, and your other teammate unfortunately has diarrhea, the Blade Keeper has no choice but to forfeit the match and declare your opponent team as the winner. The teams are allowed 4 timeouts of 5 minutes' worth each, so you have to work fast and be really coordinated as not to waste precious time. To be declared winners, you must win 3 games out of 4. Bey techs allowed per team are 2; a senior Bey tech and his assistant. See to it that you have your Bey tech kits at hand, we won't allow for bellboys running to and fro the stadium in case of 'missing parts' and 'boxes'. The guy with a stopwatch by the arena serves as the timekeeper; don't worry about him, worry about the flags he's raising. Green for 15 minutes, yellow for 10, orange for 5, and red for stop. Got all that in your heads, kids? Alright then…let's get ready to RIP it!"

"…" SD Takao blinked, his eyes little beads. "Did you get ALL that?"

"Don't worry, I've put it into Dizzi for safekeeping," Professor told him.

"First Bladers to battle, please step to the shooting points! Alright, for Team Portugal, we have ADOLFO!"

The crowd cheered wildly. Adolfo Rodriguéz stepped forward, looking very serious and was very quiet. He looked as if he was more than willing enough to stab Takao to death with his ripcord.

"For the BBA Team, we have TAKAO!"

Takao blinked again, and felt his stomach churn uncomfortably as he stepped into the ring arena side. He was wearing a red t-shirt with yellow trim, a pair of denim jeans, his trusty Skechers, and had a white ribbed shirt underneath his red shirt. His hair was tied neatly at his nape with a white cord. And he had dark blue open gloves on his hands. 

"Alright, Shooters at the ready? Good." Maverick raised her arms in the air. "Let's get ready to GROOVE IT!"

"…" Adolfo was quiet as he got his deep orange Shooter and aimed it at the ring arena. "I am a staunch admirer of yours, Mr. Kinogu. I hope both of us would have a good fight, and I am really honored to be your opponent."

"Yeah, me too!" Takao grinned in spite of his churning stomach. "Let's make this a BEY to remember."

"3…2…1…GOOO…SHOOOOOOTTTTT~~~!!!"

The 2 Beys entered the arena at the same time, each driving sparks that arced gracefully over the arena itself. Maverick nodded.

"Dragoon and Darkspur have both entered the arena…seems that everything's getting heated even at the start! Both Beys are really tough…who would outdo who?! Alright, seems as if Darkspur's getting fired UP!"

Darkspur shot towards Dragoon, who narrowly avoided it. Takao's eyes went wide. "What the…?!"

Adolfo grinned. "Heh. Seems like the match has already ended."

Professor's eyes went wide. "WHAT~~~?! How did that HAPPEN?!"

Dragoon wobbled dangerously for a split second, then Takao saw pieces of it fly off. His eyes became wide and unseeing. "D…Dragoon…"

"Behold my Bey Blade, Darkspur! Its specialty is speed and decimation attacks. I am famous in my country as the 'Lynx Assassin' because my Bey just EXACTLY does that! He could nick off pieces of your Bey even if it looked like he just narrowly avoided it. What more if he manages to mow right through HIM!?" Adolfo smiled. "Sorry it has to end this way. I thought you were good, I really idolized you back then. What happened?"

"Oh NO!" Maverick was blinking. "Just look at them GO! Darkspur's shaving Dragoon off bit by bit, and I wouldn't be too surprised if Dragoon would only have a spinning bit left after this very match. Is this the end of mighty legendary Kinogu?"

"This is so unreal," Professor whispered as he typed frantically on his laptop. "Dizzi's saying that Darkspur's speed ALONE managed to nick off all these tiny Dragoon parts…!"

"!!!" Lei was wide-eyed. "You MEAN…?!"

"I've never seen a Bey like that before," Professor murmured. "It spins so fast it even destroys enemy Beys in the process…without it even touching THEM! How…how did he…"

Darkspur continued passing by Dragoon, and soon, the pieces got bigger and bigger. Adolfo was nodding. "It's so sad to see you, Mr. Kinogu, literally fall apart at the blades of my Bey. I've waited years…years…I've been dreaming to be able to face you in battle! I've trained especially hard for this event, and yes, I suffered a lot of ridicule and hardship along the way. But I survived. Yes, to be able to meet you. It's so sad to see the curtain fall down on this little act so quickly. I'm sorry…but it was really wonderful while it lasted!" He swiped his arm, his red eyes narrowing. "Alright! Darkspur! DYNAMITE SLASH!"

A deep orange light shot out from the center bit, and Kai, Max, and Lei's eyes all widened. Professor gulped.

"A…-HOLY BEAST-~~~?!"

Sure enough, a wildcat appeared, looking very fiery and angry indeed. It was a lynx. It shot towards Dragoon like a runaway freight train, leaving its blazing trail down the arena. It was spinning so powerful and so fast that it burrowed deep into the arena itself as it made its way towards Dragoon.

It catapulted Dragoon straight into the air, and there was a bright flash of light as it exploded. Lei was aghast. "TTTAAAAAAKKKKAAAOOOOO~~~~!!!"

***_What…happened…what is it that I lost…?_***

Takao's eyes became glassy. Adolfo was smiling smugly. "See you then, Mr. Kinogu. I'm REALLY really sorry."

***_Did I…lose…anything…?_*** Takao clenched his fists.

"TAKAO! SNAP OUT OF IT! YOU'RE NOT LOST YET!"

The whole BBA Team looked up to see SD Tsukiyo looking very furious indeed. She had a gargantuan pulsing twitch on top of her head.

"YOU MAY BE MATURE NOW BUT YOU'RE STILL TAKAO KINOGU! REMEMBER THAT! TAKAO KINOGU DOES NOT RUN AWAY FROM A FIGHT! TAKAO KINOGU FACES EVEN HELL AND BACK JUST TO GET THERE WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW! TAKAO KINOGU IS NOT AN IDIOT~~~!!!" SD Tsukiyo was yelling. "TAKAO KINOGU IS TAKAO KINOGU~~~~!!!"

***_Tsukiyo's right, I AM still Takao. And yes, I do not run away from fights, and I've faced hell and back, and I'm NOT an idiot. Heh heh, thanks, buddy. Dragoon. We WILL fight!_*** Takao smiled, then shook his head. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven't lost anything at all. Sorry to disappoint you."

A drak blue orb of light appeared from the smoke that billowed atop the arena, and a strong wind blew. Dragoon was ragged-looking, alright, but the light was coming from it.

Adolfo was surprised. "W…w-what…?!"

"I'm STILL here, ALRIGHT!" Takao clenched his fists. "DRAGOON~~~!!! PHANTOM SKY SCYTHE~~~!!!"

A deep blue light emerged from Dragoon's central bit, and there was a roar. The Blue Dragon emerged, looking sleeker and more powerful than what he was 4 years ago…holding a jewel in its left claws and having lots of curious sky blue appendages on top of his head. A dark blue jewel glinted on its forehead, and winds were whirling about him in torrents. He was the legendary Guardian of the East indeed.

He roars again, and shot up the arena, then dives anew, this time hurling blue crescent-shaped wind bursts at the unsuspecting Darkspur lynx, who mewled and put up a terrific fight. 

Both dragon and lynx fought, winds whirling about them in a furious shroud. Maverick was very excited.

"What was that strange light?! Look! Both Beys are fighting it out…and Dragoon seems to have made a GREAT comeback right from being totally SQUASHED! The BBA Team's proving to be the legend that they were once before 4 years ago in the World Bey Blade Championship Finals Tournament in RUSSIA! Clearly they're not one team to be MESSED with!"

"This is unbelievable!" Professor gulped. "Takao…how did he manage to do that…?!"

Takao's eyes were narrowed very dangerously as he glared at Adolfo. "So what do you think of Dragoon now?! My best buddy and I won't be defeated by the likes of you! I won't have IT!" He swipes his arm. "DRAGOON! Finish him off! SHINING TWILIGHT!"

The Blue Dragon's central dark blue jewel glowed, and it roared. The winds about him increased in ferocity, and soon the whole stadium was enveloped in its furious shroud.

"AAH!" Maverick shielded her face with her arms as she squinted onto the battlefield. "Dragoon's powers are becoming extremely ferocious! Could this be the end of Darkspur?!"

The winds about the Blue Dragon shone through, and soon, there was a brilliant flash of dark blue light. Lei, Max, Kai and Professor shielded their faces with their arms, along with the rest of stunned Team Portugal. The Blue Dragon cut through the light, and soon, everything abated into nothingness.

Maverick blinked. "H-huh…?! The light's ABATED! Where in the world are the 2 BEY BLADES?!"

As if on cue, Darkspur shot out of the ring, and Adolfo's eyes became wide. It landed on his feet, where it promptly shattered into pieces. Dragoon shot out and continued spinning at Takao's feet in the ring arena, albeit a little wobbly.

"It seems we have a WINNER!" Maverick raised her arms in the air. "Darkspur, out! First match goes to Takao Kinogu of the BBA TEAM~~~!!!"

"YYYAAAAAAYYYYY~~~!!!" SD Max was very happy, windmilling his arms around. "TAKAO! You DID it!"

"…" Takao knelt down and Dragoon willingly went to his hands. He looks over at Adolfo, who was picking up the shattered pieces of his Darkspur. He smiled. "That was one good fight. Thank you for that. I'm looking forward to meeting you again sometime soon."

"Yes. I'm looking forward to it, too." Adolfo nodded, then slowly smiled. "You truly deserve to be called the best then, and still so now. I am very honored to have faced you."

The crowd erupted into wild cheers as each of them went back to their respective teams. Kai nodded. "Good work, Takao. Thought you died back there."

"Heh heh! It was NOTHING!" Takao's eyes became sad. "Although…Dragoon's beyond repair now…the fight left him totally maimed…"

"Don't worry, I'll fix it until it's good as new!" Professor told him. "So cheer up, Takao!"

"…?" Max blinked. "Takao…look at Dragoon…"

They all looked at the central bit. Dragoon seemed to have evolved, and the bit around him became crystalline. SD Takao's eyes went wide. "What the…what the heck HAPPENED?!"

"I have no frigging idea," Kai said, awestruck. He's never seen an evolving –Holy Beast- before.

"TAKAO!" SD Tsukiyo shot out from nowhere and glomped him. "You WON! You WON!"

"Thanks for yelling at me back there, I really needed it," Takao said, grinning. Maverick clears her throat then looks over at the audience.

"Alright, 2nd set would start in a couple of minutes. Would the next set of Bladers please step forward?"

"Who's next?" Takao asked, blinking.

"I AM!" SD Max said happily. He went to the shooting point.

"…" Kai was quiet.

***_Something's seriously wrong here. I still can't quite put my finger on it yet…but…we all have to be extra careful…_***


	12. Max VS Santiago: Heart of Sea, Heart of ...

Battle File 02: Max VS Santiago

"Heart of Sea, Heart of Power"

"GOOOOOODDDD MOOOOORRRNNNNIIIINNNGGGG again, EVERYONE!" Maverick was saying, grinning widely into the audience. "Well, let's have a recap! As you all probably know a while ago, the BBA Team and Team Portugal have fought for the VERY first time, the match contested by none other than Takao Kinogu and Adolfo Rodriguéz. The results have been dramatic: BBA has come back from a 'near-death' experience, so to speak, and scored an upset victory against Team Portugal, when all seemed to be going on right for them. The BBA Team has 1 win." She nods. "Well, seems everything is in order for the 2nd set! Alright Bladers, to the shooting points, PLEASE!"

Max practically ran over to the shooting point and started waving his arms at the audience, grinning happily. 

"For the BBA Team, we have MAX!"

The spotlights shone down on him. He was wearing an oversized blue t-shirt with a huge star and 2 smaller attendant stars arranged in a triangular manner on the left side of his shirt, and the shirt had red-trimmed edges (kinda like the one he wore in Beyblade 2002). Like Takao, he had a long sleeved shirt within, although it had a ¾ length sleeve, and it was of a pure white color. It had a yellow stripe going down each side. He wore baggy 6 pocket deep green denim ¾ jeans, and a pair of ankle socks and deep red Skechers Sport on his feet. A chain hung from the left side of his ¾'s, where a keychain collection resided: a small chibi UFO, a Sorting Hat (^o^), chibi Yuna, and chibi _Reinhault_ from _Arcandia_. He had a pair of modified motorcycle gloves on his hands that had straps by his fingers and his wrist (it's not that I enjoy dressing them up fashionista style; I'm just giving you guys an idea how their new "uniforms" look like now that they've become 4 years older. Wait for Kai's and Lei's DESCRIPTIONS! *^.^*).

"For Team Portugal, we have SANTIAGO~~~!!!"

The spotlights shone down, and a small kid ran to his own shooting point and started waving at the audience as giddily as Max.

"…?" SD Takao blinked. "He's a BLADER?!"

"Bladers come in all shapes and sizes," Professor told him. "We musn't be fooled by his looks."

"It's not that," Takao said. "I know he's extremely good, or else he won't be here right now. It's just that I'm impressed. That kid has gotta be 10 years old or younger…"

"Shooters at the ready?" Maverick nodded. "ALRIGHT!"

Max got his Draciel then aimed it carefully at the ring arena by means of his Shooter. Santiago de Corva grinned happily then aimed his sleek-looking silver Bey at the arena with his own streamlined Shooter.

***_…?_*** Max blinked. ***_What a Shooter…wait a minute…where have I seen one like that before…_***

"3…2…1…GOOOOO…SSSHHOOOOOOOOTTTTTT~~~~~!!!"

Max and Santiago let it off at exactly the same instant, and Draciel and Garren entered the arena with the same graceful arcs that were Dragoon and Darkspur a while ago.

"Both BEYS have entered the ARENA! Alright folks, they've both come in strong from both directions – great launches, by the way – and Draciel is tearing up the battlefield! My, I never expected such moves from Max Mizuhara! I guess his PBB training is showing up after 4 years of waiting!"

Draciel spun very fast, and seemed to be taking note of everything that Garren was before shooting staright in. Max bit his lip. ***_I have to be careful…this kid looks tougher than he looks like…_***

"…" Santiago smiled, his eyes clsoed happily. "Cautionary tactics…? Yes, you're famous for being the tactician of the whole BBA Team. I'm impressed. But Garren isn't just an ordinary Bey you could measure quickly at the merest glance!"

Garren started spinning furiously, sending sparks and ribbons of silver light about.

"WWHHHAAAAATTTT~~~~?! Garren's getting HOTTER, folks! Is Santiago going to go for it?" Maverick swipes her left arm. "Could this be the very 1st win for the Portuguese TEAM~~~?!"

Garren shot very suddenly towards Draciel, and Max's eyes widened.

"WHAT?!"

Garren's attack ring seemed to have latched onto Draciel's inner own, deftly avoiding Draciel's attack ring itself, and soon electric sparks were shooting up all over the arena as the silver blur that was Garren started ripping Draciel apart from the inside.

"UNBELIEVABLE~~~!!! Did you see THAT~~~?!" Maverick was round-eyed. "Garren's going in for the KILL~~~!!!"

"~~~!!!" Kai was aghast.

"Is that ALLOWED?" SD Tsukiyo asked, blinking.

"…" Professor blanched. "Garren's attack…it's brutal, but very effective…at the rate Draciel's spinning, it could also get destroyed in the process. An inner Zerzens' 'Breaker', if you get what I mean…"

"But…but…that's CHEAP!" Takao protested.

"Takao, you could only get CHEAP in Bey Blading when your Bey comes with a retractable attack ring that go a hundred miles in diameter at any given time," Professor told him. "Besides, this is the Championships, we just can't expect them to treat us all nicely. Remember, they've gone through a HELL of an audition just to get here, so they're using all their best moves improved 20 or even a hundred times over."

SD Takao was shaking his head violently. "Are you out of your MIND~~~?! Draciel is going to get PUREED! And what is it with this audition BUSINESS~~~?! We NEVER took any AUDITION~~~!!!"

At that, both Lei and Kai's eyes widened, and Professor became deathly pale. SD Takao was still ranting. "The NERVE of that PORTUGUESE TEAM~~~!!! If Dragoon's still intact I WOULD'VE sent their Beys shooting off for the BERMUDA TRIANGLE and NEVER come BACK!"

"Of course." Kai was still wide-eyed. "We never took any audition…"

"They just…invited us over…" Lei answered, his voice very faint.

"And they had been…very nice to us…" Professor added last, feeling all the strength in his body get vaporized, and making him slump in his chair.

SD Tsukiyo was blinking. "What…WHAT?!"

Kai was starting to get angry.

SD Takao was clenching his fists. "MAX! Hang ON! Don't give UP!"

Max watched as Draciel was being torn into pieces right before his very eyes. His eyes went blank.

***_Draciel…_***

Draciel was in pain. He could feel him. He was crying out in pain. Garren was killing him.

KILLNG HIM?!

Santiago nodded. "Alright Garren, finish him off! SONIC BREAK!"

A silver light appeared from the central bit, and a most frightening –Holy Beast- shot out, a silver barracuda with all its fangs bared. Professor stood up, perspiration dotting his forehead. "A BARRACUDA~~~?! That was why it was like that…barracudas are known to be among the fastest fishes of prey in the sea…and they have the strength AND those fangs to BOOT!"

There was a circular burst of sudden falling air about Garren that shattered through Draciel's armor. The barracuda was winning…and he was killing DRACIEL!

"…no…" Max squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the tears coming on. He can't…Draciel…

***_Was I even worth it?! Draciel…I…_***

"Was THAT a sonic BOOM?! OHMIGOD~~~!!! Draciel…the Bey is tearing APART!" Maverick was yelling. "What an AWESOME move by Team Portugal! Santiago's going to win this for SURE! Is this the end of MAX MIZUHARA?!"

***_I trained hard those 4 years…I believed we could still be strong together…yes, we were together…I trust him and he trusts me…I let him DOWN!_***

"~~~~!!!" Takao was aghast. "MAAAXXXX~~~!!!"

*^*_You never let me down. Never did, never will be. We promised each other we'll stick together till the end, right, Max?_*^*

***_!!!_*** Max was surprised. ***_DRACIEL~~~?!_***

*^*_You were always worthy of me. As your friends are all worthy of their own –Holy Beasts-. Time will come when you will all know the truest, deepest meaning of this, and in the end, you will all emerge victorious, no matter what you face. It is with the strength of one's heart that made us fight for you, and bring about a closer bond between us, among us, all of us. This is the essence of becoming 'one'._*^*

***_Draciel…_***

*^*_Let us make haste. We don't want that young whippersnapper get the best of us, right…?! You and I will fight till the end. And that is ALL that's everything to IT._*^*

"…Draciel's getting weaker…!!!" Maverick was gripping the edge of the guard rails of her floating platform so hard her knuckles turned white. "Is this finally the END?!"

"…" Bangs threw Max's eyes into shadow. "Yes. That's RIGHT. We'll fight till the end…Draciel and I. We'll see to the end of this. And nothing…nothing could ever tear us APART~~~!!!"

He then raises his head, and tears poured out in a spray, but he was happy. VERY happy. He felt that this was the happiest day of his life. Yes, Draciel and he would stick to each other till the END! He's not alone…and yes! He never let him DOWN!

A deep green light issued forth from Draciel's central bit, and water, WATER, started moving about him in tiny ribbons, becoming fuller and fuller, until it was one hell of a swirling maelstrom.

Max grinned, his happy tears flying about him in clear pearl-like droplets, as he raised his right hand in the air pointing upward, his left hand in a fist beside him. "DRACIEL! It's our TURN! TRIDENT TIDE~~~!!!"

The Green Tortoise shot out from the bit, and he looked more powerful too like Dragoon, developing a set of face guards and his shell becoming shiny, like real armor. He roared, and soon, a huge _tsunami_ came from nowhere by means of the maelstrom, swirling about him furiously, its top edged with foaming whitecaps. It then rushed headlong onto Garren, drowning him in its furious outpouring of swirling water.

"!!!" Santiago was aghast. "My BEY~~~!!!"

Garren shot out and stopped spinning at his feet. Draciel shot out in a green shaft of light, and Maverick was blinking. "WOW! What was THAT?! LOTS of LIGHT! And…YEAH!!! We have a WINNER! Santiago, OUT! 2nd point goes to MAX of the BBA TEAM~~~!!!"

The audience, who watched with pure rapt attention all throughout, erupted into wild cheers again. SD Takao was beside himself with joy. "YAAAAYYYY~~~!!! MAX! You WON! You WON!"

"…" Max waited until Draciel dropped gently onto his palm after shooting almost skyward, still spinning, but now it was horribly wobbly. He nodded. "Thanks, Draciel. Thanks for always believing in me…"

"MAX!" SD Tsukiyo ran over to where he was and glomped him. "You DID it!"

"…" Kai was quiet.

Max nodded, then grins, tears still at the edge of his eyes as he did so. "Eh, I said I would finish this, right?" 


	13. Lei VS Diego: The Lost Roar of the White...

Battle File 03: Lei VS Diego

"The Lost Roar of the White Tiger"

Asaya was gasping and panting for air as she ran down the sleek hallways of the stadium, toting her translucent cream-colored Bey tech kit (looks like one of those mini toolboxes kids tote around to keep their Tamiya parts in). It was really hard avoiding all the members of the Cheering Brigade, and Llewelyn was most helpful as to scare them away with Giovanni and Sigurd.

***_Oh dear, I'm LATE! I can't believe this…I hope their Beys are still doing fine…_***

Guys stared at her as she made her way down the hallways, with her Bey tech kit. She was wearing an off-shoulder mocha-colored peasant blouse with tiny Valenciennes lace peeking at its edges, its sleeves flowing about her arms like wings, tied up with ribbons, like that of her upper blouse. The blouse had tiny pastel colored blooms embroidered at the edges of the lacey collar and sleeves, even the ribbons had them embroidered upon its fluttering ends. She wore a quilt-type tight denim skirt that had artistically snagged edges, and a pair of open-toed flat sandals tied back with thin cords at her porcelain-ankled feet. Her wonderful hair was tied back into thin braids about her head in the manner of a headband, flowing behind her like a silky, glorious banner. She had drop silver filigreed butterfly earrings in her small delicate ears, along with a red leather cord about her neck on which dangled the same butterfly, and the crystal pendant she never took off unless if she had to bathe. She had a delicate butterfly bracelet on her left wrist that flitted about filigreed vines, along with a silver bracelet with a small crescent moon. Her trusty ice-pink Jansport with its many keychains was upon her shoulders, and now it had 2 new ones: a small Chocobo asleep and a chibi Princess Garnet in her royal regalia. Fashionista or not, the guys were ogling her as she ran down the hallways to get to the ring side proper.

She practically ran all the way to the arena, and was soon greeted by loud cheers as she emerged from one of the gates that led right in.

"ALRIGHT! 2 wins for the BBA Team!" Maverick was grinning widely at the audience. "They need ANOTHER win more to complete the SET! But of course, we still can't count out Team Portugal, they've showed a very intense game for the last 2 matches that were fought a while ago. This could STILL be ANYBODY'S GAME!"

"2 wins?" Asaya blinked. "They just need another win more, and they'll win this match." She hurried to where the dugout was, and was soon greeted by Takao, who was wide-eyed.

"Hey Asaya! Where were you?!" Takao nodded. "I understand, those guys had practically swarmed you and nearly drowned you in the process, so it's OK."

"Sorry about that. Llewelyn, Giovanni, and Sigurd managed to scare them away. They were…giving me a really hard time, trying to get away from them." Asaya blinked, as she saw Max, who was staring at his now maimed Draciel. "Oh Max! What happened?"

"Got decimated in that last match with Santiago a while ago," Kai answered. His red brown eyes narrow. "Pretty convenient."

Asaya, fortunately or unfortunately, didn't get the message he was trying to convey. She went over to Max then stared at Draciel. "Don't worry. Professor can fix him up in no time flat. And I'll help him."

"REALLY?!" SD Takao showed his crippled Dragoon. "You would help Professor? Then you'll also help me fix my BEY?!"

"Yes. I am his Bey tech assistant, right?" Asaya blinked again, as she saw Dragoon and Draciel's now evolved central bits. "What happened?"

"Long story," Tsukiyo said, nodding. "Right now it's Lei's turn to battle."

"Next Bladers, step up to the shooting points, PLEASE!"

"…" Lei was very quiet as he started walking towards the shooting point. He passed Kai, and Kai had his eyes narrowed even further.

"Watch it. The enemy is around us," he whispered. "Do not let your guard down even for a second."

"I know," Lei whispered back. "You have no need to worry."

He went to the shooting point. Asaya and Professor huddled closer together and started working on Max and Takao's Beys, with a blinking SD Tsukiyo at the side. Kai frowned.

"For our 3rd set, we have LEI for the BBA TEAM~~~!!!" Maverick was yelling. "And for Team Portugal, we have DIEGO~~~!!!"

The spotlights shone down on Lei and Diego respectively. Lei was wearing a sleeveless pure white _cheongsam_ that was edged with dark blue braid, closed at the side with frog closures of the same color. He wore a pair of dark blue baggy trousers underneath the triple slit skirt of the _cheongsam_ (the skirt behind was cut in the manner of a tail coat's rear and flowed down to the ankles of his feet while the front part hung just below his knees in front), and had his lower legs bound with white cloth and yellow cords in the manner of _Shaolin_ monks in old _kung-fu_ movies. He had red gloves on his hands, which were first swathed in bandages before putting the gloves on; it had the _yin/yang_ symbols embroidered on each backside of the gloves' hands (^^;; you get the idea). He had his red _yin/yang _bandanna about his forehead, now edged with dark blue stripes above and below the symbol, and had it tied back in a standing bow at the back of his head. His long pigtail was bound in the same white cloth, although now the edges were red with dark blue edged trim. He had a pair of _kung-fu_ sandals on his feet, and a red sash was tied about his lean waist, leaving its tails to flutter freely at his left side, and tied in the same standing bow manner as his bandanna. His nondescript brown satchel was hung casually across his chest from left to right. His amber yellow eyes were narrowed so seriously and he looked so heartachingly handsome that a lot of girls fainted in the audience: it was easy to see why he was voted as the "Sexiest Blader Alive" in every Lei Kon shrine throughout the world, dedicated to the quiet, unassuming leader of the legendary White Tiger Clan.

"Shooters at the ready! OK, Bladers, are you ready to RIP it?!" Maverick raised her arms in the air. "Let's go, THEN!"

Lei got his new Driger out of the octagonal box inside his satchel then got its new Shooter for it, as well. Kai's eyes went wide as he stared at the reborn Driger and its reborn Shooter.

"…" Diego Montes fitted his yellow Bey onto his sleek Shooter. "I'll give you a 1-2 count at the most. Are you ready to lose?"

"…never." Lei's eyes narrowed even further, and at this, the girls who fainted were now in grave danger of being comatose vegetables. "I'm not that easy to defeat."

"Heh. Let's just WAIT and SEE."

Lei fitted Driger onto his Shooter. 

"ALRIGHT! 3…2…1…GOO…SSHHHOOOOOOOTTTT~~~!!!"

Lei and Diego let their Beys out at the same time. Driger's become so fast, it entered the arena area with a white light swirling about it, along with myriads of sparks and a mini-tornado as it encircled Lothis (! Hehehehehehe!). Maverick watched intently as she saw Driger fly around the ring. 

"Anybody out there who's willing to put Driger on ball and CHAIN~~~?! Gosh, will you look at THAT! I've NEVER seen such SPEED and POWER before in any given BEY~~~!!!"

"Let's see about THAT!" Diego clenched his fists. "LOTHIS! DREAD CRUSHER~~~~!!!"

Lothis shot towards Driger, who deftly avoided it, still keeping its unusual spin velocity. Diego's eyes went wide. "WHAAAT~~~?!"

"It takes more than THAT to defeat a White Tiger." Lei's eyes flashed, and looked more like a cat than ever. "DRIGER! ATTACK!"

Driger spun even more furiously and shot towards Lothis, tearing up the arena itself as it did so. Maverick was surprised.

"What THE~~~?! Is Driger planning to remodel the ENTIRE stadium?! Well, of COURSE Driger has STILL to remodel the arena, but…what the HECK! Oh, LOOK! Lothis is coming on STRONG!"

Lothis shot towards Driger head-on, and a yellow light issued forth from its central bit. Another –Holy Beast- appeared, and this time around it was a sleek panther. It thundered towards Driger, roaring loudly as it went, intent on crushing the opponent before it's too late.

Lei clenched his fists, and was about to give the enemy Bey his deserved beating when a voice spoke directly into his head.

*^*_White Tigers are supposed to be STRONG, but why did they ALL die OUT?!_*^*

***_WHAT~~~?!_***

*^*_It's your fault, Lei, it's your fault they all died back there! Aren't you at LEAST a little ASHAMED of YOURSELF?! What were you thinking when you left?! What were you thinking when you decided to go on that journey and find EVERYBODY dead because of your stupidity?! You're even stupider than I first THOUGHT you would BE. And I was actually AFRAID of what you can do to me. But now, I've got it ALL figured out, and you can't do anything but play along upon the strings of my hands, a willing puppet to everything and anything I so do wish. Now, who would want a coward for a LEADER anyway?!_*^*

***_Stop IT…_***

*^*_Your fault, YOUR fault, Lei!_*^*

***_NO…!_***

*^*_Can't even protect MAO?! Can't even protect the one woman DEAREST to HIM?! What MORE if you can't even protect that one person you treasure most above ALL?! Your friends…family…oh, Mao is out of the question, she hates you like a disgusting leech…family? WHAT family, you ASK?! They're all DEAD! They're all~~~_*^*

"STOP IT!" 

Lothis got through Driger's furious assault and almost sent the Bey flying out of the arena if not for the bounce points (^^;; the guards at the edge of a standard Bey Stadium) that were set conveniently on 3 key points of the arena.

"That was CLOSE!" Maverick was nodding. "Alright, after almost flying out of the arena, Driger's still alive and KICKING! Lothis coming in for another attack…"

*^*_You'll never defeat me. NEVER. NEVER. Not even in your wildest DREAMS, Lei Kon._*^*

"…Lothis is bashing Driger up pretty good but Lei's Bey is showing NO signs whatsoever of slowing DOWN!"

*^*_I won't let you. Get it?! I WON'T!_*^*

"Gaaah, what the HELL is he DOING?!" Takao stood up. "LEI! What's the MATTER with YOU?! Driger's getting CREAMED!"

*^*_How can you protect them when you can't even protect your own SHADOW?!_*^*

"LEI!"

"Driger…WOBBLING?! Oh NO! Is this the end?! But what HAPPENED?!"

Diego was grinning. "HEH! I guess this is the end of the road KID!"

Lei started, his eyes going expressionless and glassy once again.

KID?

Not again.

No, not AGAIN!

Asaya looked up from doing equations on her mini iMac notebook. Kai's eyes widened.

***_I was a kid and I wasn't able to do ANYTHING…I was a kid and I wasn't able to do ANYTHING~~~!!!_***

That's right.

HELPLESS!

POWERLESS!

DEFENSELESS!

And what he hated most was…

He was weak to have done anything.

WEAK!

He was the White Tiger Clan's leader and he wasn't able to protect them as he ought to. Was he running away? No! He wasn't. He was just doing it for the sake of the White Tiger Clan, so that they would b enlightened about the world.

Flashbacks…going by his mind like a very fast 8 mm black and white movie.

Rai. Gao (Gary). Keiki (Kevin).

MAO.

Blood.

Destruction.

BLOOD.

Running.

RUNNING.

Where to…?!

WHERE to?!

Driger emitted a blinding white flash from its central bit, and soon, Maverick was shielding her face with her arms.

"~~~~!!! This ENERGY~~~!!! Where is it coming FROM~~~?!"

Lei won't run anymore.

NEVER.

NEVER!

Lei clenched his fists, and a furious wind blasted about him, blowing his hair about. "DRIGER~~~!!! GRANFEIST GALE~~~!!!"

The White Tiger shot out, looking like it was during his fight with Llewelyn. It roared, and shot towards Lothis, like a very fast arrow. Blinding white light and winds curled about the –Holy Beast- as it went to defeat the enemy in front of him, only this time, it was so powerful that the arena started to shake at the sudden surge of emotions welling up inside Lei and released explosively in the manner of his Bey acting so strange today.

"!" Kai was wide-eyed. "They…they are…one…"

Driger and Lothis came into contact with one another, and both panther and White Tiger were clawing at each other's throats until they were both engulfed in each of their respective aura spheres.

A huge explosion and a blinding flash of white light rocked the entire stadium, and Maverick was almost blown away by the impact. All people in the audience, the whole BBA Team, the whole Team Portugal, Tsukiyo, and Asaya shielded their faces from the glare. When it abated, Maverick blinked, and raised her arms and made a cutting gesture with it.

"It's FINISHED! Lothis out cold, out of the ARENA! Winner…Lei of the BBA TEAM~~~!!!"

Takao jumped up in the air, grinning and whooping very happily. Max joined in the whooping too, and swept Tsukiyo into doing a little victory dance with him. Professor let out a relieved sigh: he had been hiding his face behind his laptop the whole duration of Lei's seeming but very frightening anxiety attack.

As for Lei…

He sank weakly down to his knees in front of the arena. He was shaking terribly.

Chairman Daitenji was very happy for his team. He was in the middle of telling them that they were to go out that night when Kai went to where Lei was, and he was more concerned about Lei than he was about going out to dinner with the rest of the BBA Team.

"Lei…?" Asaya went towards them too, as well. "Are you…"

"Who are you really?" Kai asked quietly, but there was no denying the anger underneath the calm tone. "Why did you bring us here?!"

"?"

"You know fully well that we didn't AUDITION." Kai glared at her. "Or is it part of your grand plan to KILL us once you've finished gathering our DATA?!"

"What are you talking about…"

"Why did you invite us here in the first PLACE?!"

"That's enough, Kai."

Both Kai and Asaya looked at Lei, who was standing up from the floor, although he was still shaking very terribly. Kai's eyes narrow, then he went off. But before he did, he dropped a threat.

"If you stray one foot out of the line that's unnecessary, I swear that you'll be kissing the ground faster than you can even think," he said softly. Then he leaves.

Asaya stared at him, puzzled. Lei was just quiet.

"HEY! Let's go back to the hotel!" Takao raised his arms above his head, stretched, then smiled sheepishly. "I'm SLEEPY."

"O…OK." Asaya looked at Lei, who had now become also sleepy. "Let's go, Lei…?"

"…yes."

The BBA Team left for their hotel, amidst the wild cheering of the audience. Dr. Leimrey was watching from the sidelines, and he was pleased at what he saw.

"Sir, shall I ready the limo for you?"

"Yes please. I have a lot to do at the laboratory today. Thank you."

His secretary leaves. Dr. Leimrey smiled.

Yes, life was VERY good.


	14. Kai And His Shadows

Kai and His Shadows

Kai was walking a good few meters away from the group as they made their way to the limousine. Asaya had become extremely quiet, and Max was chatting her happily away. Lei was still unusually pale, and Takao was telling him to get lots of sleep the second they enter the hotel room, he looked like he was pretty anemic. Professor was nodding and talking to Tsukiyo at the same time, who had found something new to be curious about. Chairman Daitenji was talking to Mrs. Mizuhara, and both Freyja and Yuri had gone off, Yuri saying that his sister had to get ready for her match. 

But something was extremely wrong.

***_What made you want to join the Broken Crescent, Mr. Hiwatari?_***

Kai, in his resplondent tattooed little self, 4 years ago.

***_I want to know something._***

***_You're sure we could help you knowing that 'something'?_***

***_I am sure._***

***_What is it that you want to know…?_***

***_…_*** Kai was quiet. ***_My parents._***

***_Why didn't you ask your grandfather when you had the chance?_***

***_He said he'd rather not talk about those traitorous fools underneath his roof._***

***_He really said that?_***

***_…yes._***

***_Well then, I see no reason why we can't help you. Well met, Kai Hiwatari. I am honored to welcome you into the Brotherhood of the Black Crescent. I assure you, you would know that and so much more. So much MORE…_***

Kai, 2 years ago, running through streets that were swamped in muddy puddles as heavy rain poured from the skies. It was really rainy then in Thailand. It was the middle of the monsoon…

***_EDELWEISS!_***

A young girl with long lightest amethyst hair was lying motionless on the puddle in front of him, her transparent filmy shawl flowing about her like mist. She smiled tenderly as soon as she saw Kai run up to where she was.

***_The path…to the broken wings of the Goddess…is clear…_***

***_What…are you talking about…_***

***_The Guild…they have known…about the Goddess…for so…long…_*** Edelweiss Schlessinger reached out to grab at the front of Kai's black turtleneck, her clear silver eyes pooling over with tears. ***_Find her…_***

Kai's eyes were filled with tears of their own. It was the only day he could remember that he had wept for anybody in his whole life. ***_Don't die on me, Edelweiss!_***

***_I am sorry…I won't be with you much…longer…I can't stay around anymore…to protect you…find her…she will…she is…she would…_*** At this the young girl's head dropped to her chest with a faint sigh and she was gone.

The old picture she held in her hands fell off and fluttered down to the puddle, which was becoming increasingly splattered on by the rain. 

***_The –Aurans- had gotten to her. We can do nothing for her right now._***

Kai looked up to see the brooding face of Nils Reinstadt standing in the rain over the 2. Kai was angry.

***_Who are those –AURANS-?! Why did they have to kill HER?!_***

***_They've been searching for Eden as long as we have been searching for it, as well. Those –Aurans-…? Don't even think of trying to kill one of them, they're more likely to kill you FIRST._*** Nils turned and walked away. ***_You wouldn't want one breathing down your sorry little neck._***

He stops. Kai looked at Nils to see why he stopped, and he saw 2 people in hooded cloaks blocking his path. One of them was holding a long sword from which blood dripped, and mixed with the muddy water and disappeared out of their own lives into forever.

***_There are always 7 of them, my little friend. Get entangled in one of their brethren's affairs, and I assure you, they would hunt you down until the ends of the world. There are 2 of them right before us right now. The other 5 are just among the shadows, lying in wait. With them, it's hard for us ordinary mortals to strike first. We're likely to get killed first before we could even think._*** Nils nodded. ***_They're searching for the Goddess, too. The path to the broken wings of the Goddess is clear. The day they should find her would be the end of us all. That was why your parents were killed._***

***_!_***

***_Killed by the Guild. Yes, they knew a lot of things. They would be gunning for you next, too. Along with your little friends. Be careful. These –Aurans- do not know the concept of time. They could likely kill you now or tomorrow, or even when you're listening to a classical opera CD 50 years from now. The Guild's fury hath no bounds. They even make the Abbey sound like a very humane non-governmental organization._***

The Guild has killed his parents. And Asaya was one of those –Aurans-, one of those –Aurans- who had killed countless of his brothers in the Broken Crescent, including the youngest sister of their leader, Siegfried Schlessinger. 

Died in his arms.

Finding his parents was an obssession with him, and now that he finally knew that it was the Guild who killed them, he swore to himself that he would find them and kill them all, for they had wasted too many lives already for their sick amusement. 

Lei's entire White Tiger community was a very clear and recent example for this.

How many more lives would they get before they are satisfied? Why had the Guild summoned them here to France?

It was for this reason why he chose to have Asaya in with them when they went to China and was witness to Lei's horrible and really emotional homecoming.

It was for him to find all about her and know her weakness.

So he in turn, could KILL her.

With that in mind, Kai followed the rest of the happily chattering BBA Team into their limousine, a very quiet and grave young man that was reflected in the mirrors set about the Eiffel Stadium entrance: dressed in his outfit consisting of a black turtleneck and his deep gray baggy trousers, waylaid by many red straps held in place by intricately engraved silver studs, belts that hung about his waist, set with the same silver studs that held his black-stockinged arms fitted with shiny silver gray metal arm guards, and red, blue and white shoes with thick soles on his feet, held fast by straps and same silver trappings. His broad shoulders were encased in triangular dark blue shoulder guards on which a silver flamed phoenix was emblazoned. His arm guards had the same blazing design, and running down his left trouser leg was the same design, along with 3 straps that were Squall-like in nature. He looked more like the avenging Angel of Death than anything else.

And Dr. Leimrey, who proceeded to board the limousine 5 limos away from them, was definitely pleased in what he saw. 

"The path is definitely clearer now than what it was 2 years ago, Kai Hiwatari. I'm looking forward to that day when we should finally 'meet'."

So saying, the all in white doctor left the stadium with a smile on his face.


	15. Mao VS Friedrich: There Is No ESCAPE! Bl...

Black Tigers VS The Rhinegolds (Team Germany),

Battle File 04: Mao VS Friedrich:

"There Is No ESCAPE!"

The whole BBA Team collapsed on their beds the second they got back to the hotel,with the exception of Kai. Asaya got Max's and Takao's Bey Blades then locked herself up in her room, and Kai found it irritating.

But what the heck can he do, she's already part of the team, and he was very frustrated as not to have prevented it sooner. The Guild has proven him to be another jackass again, that last time was getting him to trust Asaya and making him believe she was completely innocent of everything that was happening around here.

Innocent until proven guilty.

Kai got so frustratingly angry that he left the hotel room in a huff, not even bothering to write his teammates a note to tell them where he has gone. But that was typical of him anyway, and he wondered why he suddenly thought of scribbling them a note before he left. 

Was it possible that he was becoming human again, after all that has happened?

That was why Kai hated the Guild.

They always had him cornered when he was at his most vulnerable.

And yeah, they were going to pay for it.

Starting with the little –Auran-.

The crowd's roars were deafening, and the spotlights shone upon the man standing upon the floating platform, a bandanna keeping his dark brown dreadlocks in check.

He grins. "Welcome, people, welcome to the first battle of the ENTIRE ALPHA BLOCK! I am your venerable and lovable host for the duration of the ENTIRE duration of this Block's mini-championships until the Finals that would be held over at the SEINE STADIUM! As you've probably noticed, we've got 9 teams competing for overall supremacy in this block, and in LIEU of THIS…"

Mao was just looking at her Zero Garrox she held in her hands, and Shao looked curiously over at her. "Doing fine, Mao?"

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine," the young woman said gruffly, then looked over at the other team that they were going to play. She wrinkled her nose. "We're going to battle them?"

"We have to play along until the 'moon turns scarlet'," Shao told her. "It's only a little bit of time until they have finally located Eden and unseal its Gate."

"So we have to play with them." Mao shook her head. "I just don't SEE the point in doing this, Shao. We have them in the palm of our hands…"

"Patience, dear Mao, patience," Shao told her soothingly. "He has said that we shall wait until they've reached us in the Finals…that is, if they EVER reach the Finals. And you'll have your revenge."

"…and that just about concludes the rules and regulations of this MATCH!" He bods. "By the way, I'm DJ Conners, and YES, this is the WORLD BEY BLADING CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT~~~!!! Bladers, please step to the shooting points and let's get ready to RIP IT~~~!!!"

Mao tossed her hair over her shoulder and stood up. "It's my cue to get the ball rolling. See you in a couple of seconds."

"For the Black Tigers Team, we have MAO~~~!!!"

The spotlights shone down on Mao. She was wearing a crimson _cheongsam_ that was embroidered with a single Black Tiger that went about her full bosom down to the right leg of her crimson silk pants that reached up until the lower part of her knees. A black scarf was tied about her waist, and she had crimson shoes on her feet. Her carnation pink hair was elegantly swept up and held by several combs holding a crimson sash and pins together (kinda like Leona's hairdo, except her swept up hair left sweeping tendrils about her small face). A pair of garnets dangled from her ears, and a silver arm band of a beautiful Black Tiger made of jet curled about her right arm, and she had black gloves on her hands.

Her catlike amber yellow eyes narrowed, tinged with crimson and frost pink eyeshadow at the corners, as she surveyed her opponent.

"And for the Rheingolds Team, we have FRIEDRICH~~~!!!"

The crowd cheered very loudly for each of them. Conners was nodding.

"Alright you two, are you READY~~~?!"

"Hmph!" Mao got her Zero Garrox and fitted it into her Shooter. She smirked. "Get ready to DIE, pipsqueak!"

"…" Friedrich Dernhardt just got his own dark brown Bey and fitted it into his own Shooter.

"3…2…1…GOOOO…SSHHOOOOOOOOOOTTT~~~!!!"

Both Mao and Friedrich set it off at the same time. Zero Garrox tore down the ring arena in a furious burst of speed, going by so fast it was only a crimson blur.

"ALRIGHT! Great launches, you 2! Boy, this is becoming pretty exciting! Zero Garrox has already shown its frightening capabilities as a mini- Bey dervish, and that Bey could even outstrip the wind if it so WISHES! Xerdeen is not about to put things down like this, that's for sure, as it makes its way for a burst of ATTACK!"

"Xerdeen! SLICE SHOOT~~~!!!"

Xerdeen shot towards Zero Garrox, who just lightly "jumped" out of the way and landed behind Xerdeen. 

"What WAS that~~~?! Great move by Mao, that WAS! How did she make her Bey jump so quickly like that without a second to LOSE~~~?! OH! There's a CLOSE CALL~~~!!!" Conners blinked. "There it IS! XERDEEN coming on after a round of SPINNING and YES he moves in for the KILL!"

"XERDEEN!" Friedrich yells. "AERIAL SLASHER, NOW~~~!!!"

It shoots straight up into the air, and a dark yellow light shoots out from its central bit, revealing itself as the 2-headed eagle found in the old imperial crest of the German Empire. It screeched, then made a very strong flap of its wings, releasing a crescent shaped wind projectile that was larger than the whole arena itself.

"…" Mao smirked as she watched the –Holy Beast- do its finishing attack on her Zero Garrox, the winds whipping her hair and her black scarf behind her, as she surveyed her opponent with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Heh. PATHETIC!" Mao's eyes flashed, then swiped her arm just as the projectile was only a few inches away. "ZERO GARROX! ASTRAL BUSTER~~~!!!" she yells, a bright crimson light bursting up from all round her, with furious winds accompanying it, as well.

The crimson –Holy Beast- shot out, mewling for all its worth, and very angrily at that. It had become sleeker, meaner, and 10 times more deadlier than the original Garrox's –Holy Beast-: it had more ornate face guards and shoulder guards, and crimson lightning curled up from about its paws, and feathers that flowed behind it like ribbons of light. The arena suddenly looked like it was in outer space, stars and galaxies shooting by so fast, as the –Holy Beast- charged towards the other –Holy Beast-, destroying the projectile in the process and went through its opponent cleanly, amidst a burst of crimson and multi-colored sparks of light that spiralled about as it made its deadliest attack. 

Xerdeen got thrown off, and with it, a cry of utmost and terrible pain from its –Holy Beast-. Friedrich's eyes widened. "No…"

Mao tossed her hair again and closed her eyes. "Hmph."

Zero Garrox dropped to the arena, still spinning. Xerdeen was out cold on the ground before the shocked Friedrich, and saw that his Bey's central bit was destroyed.

"Xer…XERDEEN…!"

"Zero Garrox, still spinning; Xerdeen, out COLD! The first match belongs to MAO and the BLACK TIGERS' TEAM!"

There was a very wild cheer as Mao got the still spinning Zero Garrox and looked over at Friedrich. She smiled.

"You still have a LOT to learn before you defeat me, boy. See you in a hundred lifetimes or so."

With that, Mao returned to her place among the rest of the Black Tigers' Team.

The silver haired young man's hands clenched the railing as he surveyed the scene from up above.

***_That brazen girl…who does she think she is?! And what happened to GARROX?! I've never seen him so filled with hatred and anger before…I must get to the bottom of this…!!!_***

So syaing, he left without another word.

Kai, meanwhile, was on the other end of the stadium. He was shocked at what he saw.

***_Could we possibly even defeat them…Mao's just one of the team, there are bound to be others stronger than her. Damn that GUILD!_***

He looked down at his Dranzer, which glinted with its crystalline ruby bit about its evolved self. His eyes narrow.

***_Are we going to kill ourselves for the championships…?! Is that what the Guild is trying to ACCOMPLISH?!_***

His hand clenched about his Dranzer.

***_I won't let them get away with THIS!_*** 


	16. Ying VS Marcus: The Anger of the Black D...

Ying VS Marcus:

"The Anger of the Black Devil"

The audience were cheering very loudly as Conners grinned. "Wow, what a powerful showing from the Black Tigers' Team of CHINA~~~!!! Heh heh, we'll get to see more of them in the near future, I think, the way they're dealing with their opponents!" He swipes his arm. "Black Tigers have 1 win. They need another win more to finish this FIGHT! Alright, Bladers, come FORWARD!"

"…" Shao's eyes narrowed. "End it quickly."

"…" The tall young man nodded, then stood up, his hands over his chest. He steps into the light, and Conners blinked.

"Just LOOK at the SIZE of that GUY! Damn, I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark ALLEY! Let's hear it for YING from the BLACK TIGERS' TEAM!"

Ying stopped at his shooting point. He was unusually tall, but lankily built, with long arms and legs that looked they were overly extended beyond their normal sizes. He was wearing an all-black _cheongsam_, its silken trousers reaching up only until the lower part of his knees. He had a crimson bandanna tied at the back of his head, its long tails fluttering in the wind (maybe _reiki_…^^;;), the Black Tiger emblazoned on his forehead. The _cheongsam_ was opened up front, held together by crimson silk strings, its short sleeves edged with crimson braid, as with the whole of his costume. He had bandages swathed about his lower ankles, over a pair of _kung-fu_ slippers, and bandages swathed about his forearms. His hair was VERY black, like it was looking into the total darkness of a star-gone night, falling about his forehead ala-Trunks from Dragonball GT. His eyes were closed.

Mao sat down beside Shao, putting Zero Garrox inside her special pouch carrier. She blew the hair out of her eyes. "Ying's BORED."

"Who wouldn't? He's fighting with such a LAME opponent." Shao sighed. "But we can't do anything about it. We have to hold on till the Finals. We have to wait for 'them'."

"Alright, for Team GERMANY we have MARCUS~~~!!!"

A dark blond young man gripped his pale green Bey Blade and fitted it into his Shooter. Ying just did the same thing mechanically, albeit with his eyes closed.

"…" Marcus Eckart gritted his teeth. "You find me utterly BORING?! I'll SHOW YOU!"

"BLADES AT THE READY! 3…2…1…GOOOO…SSHHHHOOOOOOOOOTTTT~~~!!!"

Grengast and Fahlgrein hit the arena at the same time. Marcus wasted no time.

"I'll show YOU~~~!!! FAHLGREIN~~~!!! FALLING ARROW~~~!!!"

A pale green light shot out from the central bit, and a –Holy Beast- appeared, a wolf with a very shaggy mane, making him look like a lion. He rushed towards Grengast, intent on ripping him apart to pieces. 

"…" Ying raised his right hand, and then closed it into a fist. He swipes it in a wide arc.

A dark purple light shone from Grengast's central bit, and a frightening apparition appeared: a _fuusei kimono_. It was a Chinese mystical beast that looks like a black panther, and it was known to be extremely loyal to its chosen master. And is a direct reflection of its master's high level of _reiki_.

It roared towards Fahlgrein, and it was all Marcus could do to shield his arms from the blinding flash of light that followed.

Mao smirked. "Heh. The fight's finished. That was Soul Crusher. No Bey could probably survive THAT."

Marcus' violet eyes widened, as Fahlgrein slowly floated towards him, spinning slowly. There was a quick series of light flashes, and Fahlgrein fell, its central bit the only thing that was holding it together. 

It stops spinning.

"HUH~~~?!" Conners blinked, then raised his arms. "That was the FASTEST fight ever in about 5.5 SECONDS~~~!!! Fahlgrein, out COLD! Winner: Ying of the BLACK TIGERS' TEAM~~~!!!"

"…" Marcus gritted his teeth. "My Bey…Fahlgrein…"

"You ought to get practice, kid." Ying finally opened his eyes and revealed them as a shade of silver ice. "I let you live, the bit, that is. Find him a suitable Bey. Don't settle for crap like that." 

He leaves, with a soft flutter of the tails of his bandanna. Mao frowned at him as he got back to their seat, closing his eyes again. "You didn't have to do that, Ying. 'They' especially won't let our OWN Beys live."

"…" Ying (who looked like a PERFECT carbon copy of Aoshi Shinomori except for the fact that he had ice silver eyes and fine eyebrows) just shook his head and sighed. "He ISN'T one of them. I see no reason why I should kill his –Holy Beast-." 

"That is our mission. KILL all –Holy Beasts- in existence, that way, we can summon the most powerful of them ALL." Shao's eyes narrowed. "The Seal is still intact, and it is within 'her'. The time shall be soon when we finally unseal the Gate of Eden and everything shall turn into CHAOS."

"Is that why 'they' summoned 'her' back here?"

"Precisely. The Seal is Sigismund, himself. He must be extracted, along with the rest of the –Guardian Seals-. That way, our mission would be completed."

"So that was why the Guild has waited for her to turn 16…(I know, I KNOW! A bit of FFIX thrown in, don't give me DEATH GLARES!)" Mao mused. "So the –Guardian Seals- could be successfully extracted away from 'her'…"

"They have no idea they're just being USED." Shao laughed. "The BBA Team, the Bey Masters…even these poor pathetic competitors, themselves. The Abbey didn't succeed in unlocking the 'ultimate –Holy Beast- weapon' because they were looking for it at the WRONG place." He smiled coldly. "It was in Japan, all along."

"Alright, next Bladers, step right up, PLEASE!"

Shao stood up. "I'm next. Watch me, Ying. This is how we DO our MISSION."

"…" Ying was just quiet.

The leader of the Black Tiger Clan stepped right up to the shooting point and waited.


	17. Shao VS Seigmund: The Mirror of Power

Shao VS Seigmund:

"The Mirror of Power"

"ALRIGHT! 2 WINS FOR THE BLACK TIGERS' TEAM~~~!!! They're 1 win away from winning this MATCH!" Conners nodded. "Bladers, please proceed to the shooting points, please!"

Shao was standing there already, frowning. His deep blue hair was tied back in a braid, and his lone white streak stood out most especially in the harsh lighting of the stadium spotlight. He was clad in a crimson silken outfit (looking like Yomi's outfit on YuYu Hakusho), sleeveless, and showing his finely chiseled arms. A black waistband was about his waist (of COURSE….^^;;), and he had baggy black silken trousers on his feet. His _kung-fu_ shoes were bound with crimson cloth, as with his forearms, and he had bandages swathed among his fingers. A Black Tiger was embroidered on the left side of his outfit, curling about his chest amidst black flames.

"For the Black Tigers' Team, we have their leader, SHAO FEI~~~!!!"

Shao looked over at his opponent with narrowed red brown eyes. 

"For Team Germany, we have SEIGMUND!"

Seigmund Holton nodded in acknowledgement, then fitted his Bey on his Shooter.

"Blades at the ready? Alright! MAKE or BREAK match for BOTH TEAMS!" Conners swiped his arms in the air. "3…2…1…GOOOO…SHHHOOOOOTTTTT~~~~!!!"

Volsung entered the arena, spinning furiously. Shao's black Bey entered the arena, spinning very fast, emitting black sparks of lightning about, along with a furious whirlwind.

"!!!" Kai was surprised. "What the..is that ASURA?!"

"VOLSUNG! VALKYRIE SHOT~~~!!!" Seigmund yells.

An indigo light shot out from its central bit, and revealed a huge Roc, its wings filled with many sharp feathers. Mao's eyes widened. "What the HELL is THAT~~~?!"

It flew towards the black Bey, screeching. Shao smiles, then at that precise instant, his black Bey vanished.

"HUH~~~?!" Conners was blinking. "Where did it GO?!"

The Roc –Holy Beast- swooped down and the arena exploded, sending shards of concrete all throughout ringside. Mao, Ying, and their last teammate shielded their faces with their arms, as a furious wind blew and fanned the pieces of concrete towards them.

Kai leaned over, gripping the guardrails tightly, his eyes blinking in shock. "That was very POWERFUL…"

Seigmund was gritting his teeth. "I CAN'T believe YOU! Why do you want to kill –Holy Beasts-?! They're our friends, they protect us and they help US! What did they do to you that made you SO angry at THEM~~~?!"

"Heh. I don't have to answer to a little runt like you." Shao had his arms folded across his chest. "Let's just say I'm PAYING them back."

Flashback.

Shao as a little boy of 3, his entire village up in flames. A woman, probably his mother, was smiling serenely, as the shouts and cries raged on outside.

***_Do not worry, my little Shao. Everything would be fine…the Black Tiger would protect us…_***

There was a cold sound of a stab as his mother's eyes suddenly widened, and blood was splattered on Shao's little face, his red brown eyes wide and unseeing.

***_Ma…Mama…_***

***_R-run…Shao…_*** his mother gasped, her eyes looking at him so tenderly. _***Run…while I…h-hold them back…_***

***_M…MAMAAAAA~~~~!!!_***

Little Shao runs outside, stumbling upon debris, and occasional dead bodies.

There was one thing that remained blazing brilliantly in his memory.

And that was…

"Alright, I've enough of this idle chatter!" Shao swipes his arm about him. "EANDER~~~!!! DOOMCOUNT, NOW~~~!!!" 

A black mirror shot out, amidst archaic Chinese symbols in weird, muted fiery colors, Eander comes straight on towards Volsung, and a black light shot out, revealing itself as…

"~~~!!!" Kai was aghast. "BLACK TIGER~~~?!"

It was the Black Tiger, alright, sabretoothed as the evolved Driger was, yet had a full mane about his head, held back by ornate black face guards and intricate, huge armor. It WAS huge, and its paws were surrounded by black mist and curling tendrils of black lightning.

It roared, and 6 other smaller mirrors shot out around it, shining with that mysterious black light. It formed a 6-pointed star underneath it, and soon, the Black Tiger shot towards the Roc, intent on killing the opponent.

There was a murderous sound of slashes, and the Black Tiger landed on the other end of the stadium. Volsung seemed to float in the air for a few seconds more until it literally turned into fine powder, central bit included. Seigmund's eyes went wide. 

"Vol…VOLSUNG…!"

"Huh…?!" Conners blinked, then swiped his arms in the air. "The BATTLE'S FINISHED! Volsung, OUT POWDERED! Winner: Shao for the BLACK TIGERS' TEAM~~~!!!"

The crowd roared. Shao smirked as he got his Eander.

"Kill all stupid useless –Holy Beasts-, that's our motto. We don't let our opponents LIVE after our matches…killing their 'friends'." With that, he turned and walked away.

Kai was wide-eyed. "Black Tigers' Team…"

Cool watercolor rendered shot of the whole Black Tigers' Team as they made their way outside.

Cool watercolor rendered shot of Kai's face, closeup, very serious (translation: VERY handsome! **^o^**).

***_We're going to meet them for the FINALS…?!_***

He shook his head then ran down the stadium upper walkway.

***_They're unbelievably STRONG. I have to KNOW them!_*** 


	18. Enter The King Tiger, Lee Kon: The Mark...

Enter the King Tiger: Lee Kon

"The Mark of the Void"

Lei was practically running down the streets towards the Louvre Stadium, where the Black Tigers' matches would be held. He was in a serious panic, and that was NOT the fact that Takao had suddenly gone fasting.

It was the _REIKI_.

It was so powerful he immediately opened his eyes and sat up on his bed, panting heavily. Perspiration was coursing down the sides of his face, and he never felt so TERRIFIED in his WHOLE life, prior to that _reiki_ outburst.

***_It was full of sheer anger and HATRED…_*** Lei thought as he ran down the last street leading to the Louvre Stadium proper. ***_Its sole intent is to DESTROY. What…what was IT?!_***

He turns the corner, and saw Shao and the rest of the Black Tigers' Team head out of the backdoors, skilfully avoiding papparazzi and pesky reporters. Lei clenched his fist, his amber yellow eyes narrow, and went after them.

They were about to board the black limousine that was to take them back to their own quarters when Lei screeched to a halt, and faced them, his amber yellow eyes very narrowed and serious (translation: VERY gorgeous! **^o^**). "SHAO! What was THAT~~~?! Don't TELL me you've KILLED all those –Holy Beasts-!"

"You're PRETTY perceptive." Shao stopped, then turned around to face him. "Yeah, we killed 2 –Holy Beasts-. So what's it to YOU?!"

"!!!" Lei was shocked, his eyes very wide. "No…Mao…you DIDN'T~~~?!"

"The guy was boring me anyway, I HAD to do IT." Mao made a show of stifling a small yawn with her left hand. "I still let a little of his spirit live, but I guess he's too maimed beyond recovery. So THERE."

"…" Lei's eyes narrowed, and he shook his head in confusion. "Mao…?"

"Look, if you don't have ANYTHING else left to say, you spikeass, we're LEAVING," Shao told him. "Good day."

Lei couldn't believe this. "Shao~~~"

"I said LEAVE, didn't I~~~?!" Shao turned around to face him again, then smirked. "I guess you want to know what caused that TERRIBLE _reiki_ surge?"

"It's not what I~~~"

A black blur shot out, and Lei's eyes widened, as he jumped out of the way. It succeeded in tearing the left side of his _cheongsam_, and it was cut VERY deeply. 

Lei knelt before Shao, holding his deep wound with his right hand, thick rivulets of blood spurting out of it in torrents. Shao whistled. "Oops. I think I might have cut the spleen wide open. I am MOST terribly sorry."

"Y-you…"

"HAHAHAHA! I thought I'd never see the day the leader of the White Tiger Clan should kneel before me and beg for his puny life." Shao's red brown eyes widened, and it had a terrible crazed glassy look to them. "So what'll it BE, Lei Kon?"

"N-NEVER!" Lei tried to stand up, but the pain was forcing him not to, and he grimaced as he fell down again. He glared at Shao, his eyes VERY very narrowed. "I would NEVER bow down and beg my life from YOU~~~!!!"

"Such brave words." Shao shook his head. "But alas, such bravery ends short. See you in paradise, spikeass."

Eander, who materialized in his hands from nowhere, shot straight towards Lei. He glared at it. If he was to die, then at least he would have to die with the full dignity of a White Tiger.

"LEI~~~!!!"

A dark red blur shot out, and deflected Eander's attack. Kai appears, his expression very murderous. "You make me SICK. I thought you Black Tigers have a sense or even a shred of decency in them, but I guess I was WRONG. Very WRONG."

"Oh? You want Dranzer to die, too?" Shao grinned wickedly. "So be IT!"

Eander started shooting around, Dranzer narrowly missing its attacks. The Black Tiger and the Red Sparrow shot out, and Lei was surprised that it had already evolved: the Red Sparrow had become full-grown, like that of Takao's Dragoon, its wings spanning the entire length of the limousine. Mao and Ying's eyes went wide.

The flames encircled Dranzer, as the Red Sparrow screeched, flapping his wings that scattered glowing red feathers about the battlefield. Kai's eyes widened.

"DRANZER~~~!!! RED SNIPER~~~!!!"

The Red Sparrow screeched again, and shot towards the Black Tiger like a flaming projectile. Several tendrils of red flame surrounded the Red Sparrow, and went through Eander like a blinding flame shaft. Several red glowing feathers scattered.

"~~~!!!" Mao and Ying's mouths were hanging open.

"Heh…hehehehehehe…HAHAHAHAHAHAHA~~~~!!!" Shao laughed manically. "So THAT is the power of the legendary Guardian of the South!" He swipes his arm. "EANDER~~~!!! JUDGMENT BOLT~~~!!!"

The Black Tiger roared, and went towards the Red Sparrow, several Chinese characters glowing about it, and went through Dranzer. 

Kai's eyes widened.

"DRANZER~~~!!!"

The Bey shattered, but the ruby crystalline bit glowed and shielded the Red Sparrow from its fate. Shao's eyes narrowed, and he became angry. "WHAAAT~~~?! How did that HAPPEN~~~?!"

"…" Kai got his ruby crystalline central bit, his eyes expressive. "Dranzer…"

"You'll pay for THAT~~~!!!" Shao's eyes flashed murderously. "EANDER~~~!!! DEATH CRUSHER~~~"

"That's ENOUGH, Shao."

The Black Tigers and both Lei and Kai turned to see who it was. A young man wearing an oyster colored full _cheongsam_ with amber braid, and a pair of dark blue baggy trousers upon his legs. He had a pair of _kung-fu_ sandals on his feet, and an intricately embroidered White Tiger curling up from the bottom of his left side and up his left chest. The White Tiger had an intricate Chinese Emperor crown on top of his head, with peacock feathers flowing gently, along with several swinging pendants.

He had long fine silvery-white hair that flowed way past his waist, tied back with an oyster colored clasp. But what caught their attention were his slanted amber yellow eyes that were so much like Lei's. 

Their eyes met. Lei couldn't explain it, but…

"LEE~~~!!!" Shao was indescribably furious. "What are you…?!"

"Hello, Shao. Geiger missed you TERRIBLY." The young man smiled at him, his eyes closed happily.

"~~~!!!" Shao hurled his Eander toward the curious young man. "EANDER! DEATH CRUSHER~~~!!!"

The Black Tiger roared towards the young man, whose eyes suddenly opened and were narrowed and set. "GEIGER! KING'S BLADE~~~~!!!"

The deep maroon Bey shot out of nowhere, and a deep maroon light shot up from its central bit. A purest White Tiger shot out, roaring, its peacock feathers fluttering behind him, the crown on its head glinting in the light. It was HUGE, and had a proud mane with undertones of silver about its head, and gold armor and leg guards everywhere. It was also sabretoothed, and its tail swished behind its back, with a burning silver flame on its end. Each of its paws were surrounded by the same flames, and sparks of purest white lightning.

Kai's eyes went wide. "That IS~~~!!!"

Lei's eyes went wide as well. "KING TIGER~~~!!!"

It shot towards Eander, an ornate and gracefully bent sword like a scimitar appearing in its mouth. The –Holy Beast- threw the sword into the air, roared again, and sent a hail of sowrds along with white spears of light towards Shao's Bey. 

It got thrown off. Mao was wide-eyed.

"What…"

"Leave." The young man's eyes narrowed even further. "And don't even think of trying to get back at THEM. I would be watching YOU."

Shao got his now stopped Bey, glared at the young man, and bid his other team members to leave. Lei was looking at the stranger, wide-eyed, his wound forgotten.

"Who…who are you?"

"…" The young man got his Bey then smiled at Lei. "My name is Lee Kon. I have been waiting 10 years to see you again…my brother." 


	19. Of Tigers White and Black

White Tigers and Black

Note: ARIGATOU, MINNA-SAN~~~!!! Thanks for sticking through my novel through thick and thin! I promise you more action from this point on! OK? Special mention to Bookie and Fluffychans…ARIGATOU! You guys keep me going! Now on with the show!

Lei did not know how long it was he slept…the last thing he knew was that he was looking at a tall young man with long, silvery-white hair, and he promptly lost consciousness.

He seemed so familiar to him.

But…

Why can't he remember?

Light poured down on him, making him slowly open his eyes. A woman wearing a dark gray _cheongsam_ was pulling at the curtains inside a room, and he blinked twice again, before trying to sit up. 

"Oh please, Master Lei, do not force yourself," the woman said. "Your wound is still very fresh."

Excruciating pain shot up from his left side, and Lei looked down at it blankly. Bandages were swathed on the left side of his abdomen, and even if he moved just the tiniest bit, the pain stabs right through him and he would just grit his teeth and close his eyes, and wait for the pain to pass.

"You wish anything to drink?" the woman inquired him softly.

"No, thank you," Lei said, smiling weakly. He looks around. "Where am I?"

"You are in one of the main bedrooms of the manor of Lord Kon," the woman replies, nodding. "Master Lee has brought you here, along with your friend."

"Kai?" Lei was curious. "And Lee…Lord KON?! Uh…where are they…"

"They are taking tea in the gardens," the woman replies. "I shall inform them of your recovery."

She leaves. Lei waited for another stab of pain to pass, and looked around.

He was in a huge room of some sort, with amber yellow curtains of silk on which were embroidered several prancing tigers (^^;;). He was lying on a bed in the ancient Chinese style, 4 poster, made of a dark cinnabar wood and intricate and elaborate carvings on its posts, and had 5 huge pillows on them, and an amber yellow silken bedspread on which was embroidered a White Tiger. There was a screen on the other end of the room, showing people dressed in the refinement of ancient Chinese nobility, and several hanging scrolls that were hung on the walls, depicting beautiful calligraphy and delicate watercolor paintings of different colored birds and mythological personalities. Huge porcelain jars that looked like they were from the Ming and T'ang Dynasties filled the room, and there was a standing chest of drawers on the left side of his bed, in the same dark cinnabar wood, intricately carved with scenes from Chinese legends. 

It didn't take Lei to figure out long enough that the whole room was filled with priceless Chinese antiques and that the owner of this house was incredibly wealthy.

He froze.

Wait a minute.

She DID say Lord KON, right?

Was he…a relative?

Lei felt strong enough to walk around a few minutes later.

He wandered through the house, marvelling at its stately grandeur and simple elegance, for it was a very beautiful and well-appointed house befitting a man of high rank in Imperial China. Antiques he was sure to reach millions of dollars in all, along with those huge jars and hanging scrolls of calligraphy and watercolor paintings, filled every nook and corner of the manor, along with several _cheongsam_-ed maids. Every room was filled with lots of things to see, and the floor was of white marble, polished so much that it shone and felt like a mirror in its smoothness.

He turns a corner and saw the gardens for the very first time. Lei blinks and stepped into the raised platform leading to the main gardens itself, and looks around.

Yes, it was also done in the fine taste of Imperial China standards, and there was a small pond in the middle of it, where lots of colorful carp swam lazily underneath the huge lily pads that floated on the surface. A gazebo-like structure was constructed above the pond, and was reached by means of a small bridge; Lei noticed that there were other small bridges that led to quiet grottos and other hidden retreats, running over small ponds like the one in the middle. The garden designer, or whoever it was responsible for the entire layout of the gardens, made it even possible for a small artificial stream to run across smooth, circular rocks, which glinted in the sun. Birds sang sweetly in the trees, and Lei could almost imagine irridiscent dragonflies almost skipping the water surface, heralding the start of summer. Beautiful flowers grew about the bridgeways and the stream, filling the air with their own sweet fragrance and their beautiful colors to delight a weary traveler's eyes.

He hears the sound of a bamboo dipper, then he looked to his left. Lei wasted no time in going towards that direction, and was surprised by what he saw.

The silver-white haired young man was busy adding final delicate touches to the watercolor painting he was doing, and it was a magnificent grayish falcon. A falcon was perched on the perch in front of him, its steely deep yellow eyes unflinching as it regarded Lei with an indifferent look in its eyes.

"So you've finally decided to come back into the world of the living."

Lei started at the voice, and blinked. An old man was seated a few meters away from the silver-white haired young man, puffing at a pipe. He was dressed in a silk _cheongsam_ that made Lei think of a very high official back in Imperial China: it was of a deep gray color, and the sleeves were of navy blue; his silk trousers were also navy blue hidden underneath a double slitted skirt of deep gray, and he had a black sash tied about his waist. It was beautifully embroidered with a tiger that curled up and above, and he had soft silk slippers on his feet.

"Uh…yes." Lei blinked again. "Where's Kai?"

"Oh? That friend of yours? I sent him back to the hotel, he was most adamant in telling your other friends that you were injured grievously, but, yes, you survived. Yes, we're all tigers in the family." The old man smiled at him warmly, and it was a kind, honest face: he had pure white hair and a mustache and he had…

AMBER YELLOW EYES~~~?!

"…" The silver-white haired young man sighed. "Don't terrify him, Grandfather. It's his 1st time to meet us…"

"…" The old man was silent for a few seconds, then he burst into tears. Lei was panicking, while the silver-white haired young man continued on his painting. "TERRIFY him~~~?! How could you think THAT~~~?! Oh if your parents were alive right now they'd be VERY HAPPY~~~!!! I'm just GLAD…FEI YOU'VE COME BACK TO ME AGAIN~~~!!! AND MEI LING~~~!!! OH BOTH THE FATHER AND THE MOTHER…YOU LOOK EXACTLY JUST LIKE THEM WHEN THEY WERE STILL ALIVE~~~!!!"

SD Lei's eyes became little beads.

The young man had an ominous battle aura emanating from his being and he glared at the old man, a pulsing vein twitching atop his head. "STOP SAYING THAT~~~!!! It's already BAD that those guys at the nearby 7/11 hit on me EVERY SINGLE CHANCE THEY GET~~~!!!"

"But you DO look like your mother, and your brother Lei's a spitting image of your father," the old man said, blowing his nose. "What's WRONG with THAT~~~?!"

"~~~~" SD young man returned to his painting, a black cloud floating about his head.

BROTHER?! Oh, yes, that guy said he was…

"Brother…LEE?" SD Lei was blinking. "How on EARTH did I have an older BROTHER?" 

"Long story," the old man replied, sniffling. "But as all love stories go, they started by falling in love with one another. And then came the wedding night…"

SD Lee Kon hurled a huge throwpillow at the old man, his teeth jagged fangs.

"DON'T EVEN TRY TO CORRUPT HIS MIND, YOU PERVERTED OLD BASTARD~~~!!!"

"Per…verted…?" SD Lei's eyes became little beads.

"Is this how you treat your grandfather, after ALL those things I did for YOU~~~"

"Yeah, like leaving me stranded in that MARKETPLACE when those stupid whitecoats swooped down on ME." SD Lee was growling. "You just HAD to CHASE them. Is being a LECHER your motto for LIFE?!"

The old man blows his nose again.

"Grand…father…?" SD Lei asked again, his eyes still little beads.

"Oh yes. I forgot to introduce myself." The old man sniffles again. "Lei, I am your grandfather, and he is your brother. My name is Lao Kon. So how do you do?"

"The more appropriate greeting would be, 'had any hot chicks lately?'" SD Lee muttered, looking cutely murderous.

"Did you say something?"

"Oh, NO. Why would I?" Lee blinked, looking innocent. "I wouldn't even think THAT! How could YOU even think SO?"

"You're…family?" Lei was confused. "But how…"

"VERY long story." Lao Kon puffed at his pipe again. "But it all started when the Black Tiger Clan and the White Tiger Clan came into a misunderstanding a LONG time ago. Your parents were killed in the conflict that erupted, I was planning to escape with the both of you but a group of people took you hostage, and I had no choice but to take Lee, out of the White Tiger Village and fled to France, where we have been living for 19 years now."

"People took me hostage?"

"They needed a Kon to keep things interesting," Lao continued. "You may not know it, but we were a pretty influential family when it came to the matters of the White Tiger Clan. The White Tiger bit was our family treasure. It is very powerful, and has the power to protect the village from harm. It was for this reason they…stole it from us."

"???" SD Lei was confused.

"They wanted to protect the village with the power of the White Tiger, so naturally, everybody wanted a piece of the White Tiger bit. In the ensuing confusion and conflict that followed, there were a bunch of men in the elders' council who plotted to steal the bit and…well, they didn't mean to have your parents killed in the process. A lot of people died that day. One of the remaining elders that remained gave you the White Tiger bit, and maybe…I guess he felt remorse for what he and his other brethren had done. Greed for power could usurp even the most honorable of hearts…that was what I learned the hard way. We were exiled, fearing that we would exact revenge on them one day. But we do not take that as a course of action." Lao nodded. "It is what our ancestors instilled in us, even up to this very day."

"But surely…Grandfather…you have heard what has happened to the village?!" Lei was suddenly angry. "Those Black Tigers decimated ALL of the villagers, leaving none LEFT!"

"Yes, I have heard. It was quite a shock…I only learned about it 2 days ago." Lao puffs at his pipe again. "Shao Fei hates the White Tigers because he believes that we were the ones responsible for killing his family, in that conflict 19 years ago. His heart is filled with such pain and anger…for him it's a fitting retribution for all the crimes we committed. He SAYS we committed." He frowns. "But what REALLY happened? That is the one thing I would like to KNOW."

"…" Lei was quiet, then he blinks and looks over at Lee, who was still painting. "Lee…you mentioned the whitecoats…"

"…" Lee turned SD and looked at him, his eyes closed happily. "Yes I did! Whitecoats from the Guild!"

"So then…"

"I'm an –Auran-, too!" SD Lee looked too happy about it, as if Christmas had come too early. "And I'm PROUD of IT! Mind you, it was hard escaping those bastards while they were on full-blast JUTES!"

"You…escaped…"

"I'm planning to pay them a little visit," SD Lee continued, starting to put his painting things away. "Yup, they've been crazily hunting for me these past 10 years, I'm sure Shao would tell them I'm alive. Hee hee, I can't wait to see the expression on their faces!"

"…" SD Lei blinked. Lao puffs at his pipe again.

"You'll get used to him." Lao pointed at the tea and sweet bean paste cakes on the table. "Care for some tea?" 


	20. Deeper Than Light And Shadows

Chiarascuro

Author's note: Chiarascuro is an interplay of light and shadows in any given work of visual art; the artist uses the light and shadows in order to create a more dramatic impact on the viewers who happen to see their work hung out in art galleries or in one-man shows throughout the world. Peter Paul Rubens is one such artist. Bookie, Asaya may be too perfect for your taste, but she's got one heck of a LOT of shadows beneath her innocent façade. It is for this reason the Guild called her their beloved specimen. She's the perfect emotionless assassin, if they just "switched" her on just right. And why even the rest of her teammates are scared of her. NOBODY wants to get on her bad side. Which Dr. Leimrey is willing to do just for the sake of their pursuit of science, and this is what makes even Judy Mizuhara sick. There are only TWO of them born in this wold. Who is the other one? The one who holds the Key… 

"WHAAT?! Why didn't you tell us SOONER?" Takao said, blinking.

"…" Kai was SD. "The last thing I REMEMBERED was that you were SNORING fitfully in your BED. How could I even think of disturbing your beauty SLEEP?"

"I do not SNORE!" SD Takao protested indignantly.

"How is he?" Max asked Kai.

"He's doing fine. At least that's what their manor's private doctor told me," Kai answered him.

"He's a grandson of Lao Kon?" Professor had his hand on his chin. "Wow…"

"Who is Lao Kon, anyway?" Tsukiyo asked.

"He's a very wealthy philantrophist and respected businessman, and is very well known in the French inner political circle. He also deals with antiques, and his businesses range from shipping to marine ecological bioresearch, he's always been fascinated by the sea, even as a child in White Tiger Valley. I guess that's where Lei got his adventuring genes." Professor nodded. "He suddenly disappeared from White Tiger Valley 19 years ago due to some strange reasons unknown."

"It was the height of the White Tiger and Black Tiger conflict," Kai put in. "Lei's family was a very influential clan in the matters of the whole White Tiger Village. I guess they were nobility then, too, of some sort; they had been protecting the White Tiger bit for many generations now. In fact, it's their family treasure."

"This is getting more and more confusing by the minute," Takao said, frowning. "So…Lei's still back at his grandfather's manor…"

"…" Asaya was just quiet as she sat on the couch beside Professor.

"HEY! We were beginning to worry you might not come out at all," Max told her, grinning. "So…how is everything?"

"I've finished them already, with Professor's kind help with the calculations," Asaya said softly. 

"REALLY?! Great!" SD Takao was practically delirious with happiness. "Is Dragoon fine now?"

"Yes." Asaya reached into her Bey tech kit and retrieved a new improved Draciel and Dragoon. "Meet Holtz Draciel and Faust Dragoon. Your reborn Bey Blades."

Max and Takao looked down at their Beys Asaya held in her hands. Their eyes grew sparkly.

"WOW!"

Draciel had become sleeker, 4 green jewels set about the central emerald crystalline bit, and its attack ring looked like hardened flippers of a sea turtle that were curved slightly at the ends. It was deep green in color. 

"Don't let those flipper looks fool you, it's quite a deadly attack weapon," Asaya said. "The downward curves at the ends are for upliftment, and Draciel can now fight in ANY kind of Bey stadium, the air uplift caused by the flippers' unique design tending for more stabilized center of gravity, adjusting slightly via microsensors so it can adapt to any fighting environment. The armor is high grade, typical Guild Base. It seems lighter, but actually, Draciel's defense has been accelerated for up to 400%, attack up 450%, speed up 550%. No Bey can literally sweep it off the ring. Zero Garrox running point blank into it would make it shoot off the Bey stadium."

Dragoon had also become sleeker, 4 blue jewels set about the central aquamarine central bit, its attack ring looking like a set of razor-zharp stylized wings of a dragon, set with ice blue attack "spurs" in alternating fashion. It was dark blue in color.

"Handle with care! Dragoon's attack power has been increased quite dramatically, and his lightened Guild Base armor makes for easy whirlwind/dervish up and down the Bey stadium. The attack ring has been reduced slightly so as not to hinder its speed ability, but, that does not mean that you can't control the Dragoon once you unleash him out on the field. He responds quickly, and can strike twice as fast as lightning if you so choose. Defense up 320% from previous Phantom Dragoon, attack up 500%, speed up 620%. The only Bey faster than he is Lei's Gran Driger."

"WOW!" Takao and Max exclaimed again. They got it from Asaya and were looking at their Beys with mingled happiness and awe.

"Your Shooters have been worked on, too. They're genuine Skyscythes. Please handle them with care," Asaya said, handing each of them their new Shooters.

Max's had an easy grip handle with the Green Tortoise wrapped about it in a stylized manner. A small jewel was set on top of it. Takao's got a similarly designed one, except that it had the Blue Dragon wrapped about it.

"…" Tsukiyo was blinking.

Professor grinned. "Don't go traipsing around just yet, we still have to keep them for our 'secret weapons'!"

SD Takao nodded, his eyes closed happily. "Of COURSE! I wouldn't want to tell our secrets to the whole world even if you paid my weight in POCKY!"

"…" Kai was just quiet.

Asaya was smiling happily (Tomoyo Daidouji style) over Max and Takao's giddy whoops of excitement when he came up beside her and got his ruby crystalline central bit from his pocket and gave it to her without a word. Asaya blinked up at him in surprise.

"For now I shall trust you," Kai told her quietly. His red brown eyes gazed into her clearest amethyst own intently. "Please make Dranzer stronger."

"…" Asaya's eyes filled up with tears, then nodded, smiling. "Of course Kai. When do you want Dranzer to be reborn?"

"As soonest," Kai replied. "He IS the Phoenix, remember?"

"Of course." Asaya nodded again. "I'll begin on him right away!"

She leaves. Kai was just quiet when a voice pops into his head.

*^*_Porcelain dolls are just SO delicate, aren't they? But when they shatter, their shards cut way TOO deep._*^*

"!" Kai blinked.

*^*_She is much of the shadows as she is much of the light. Beware, my kind friend, BEWARE._*^*

Professor, Max, and Takao were oblivious to Kai, who had suddenly gone deathly pale. He was shaking.

***_That voice…so…_***

"Hey Kai! We're to meet Lei over at his grandfather's house, right?" Takao said.

"…"

"Kai?"

"Yeah, Kinogu." Kai shakes his head and went to the door. "I'll just go out for a walk."

"???" Max, Takao, and Professor watched him leave. They all suddenly turned SD, their eyes little beads (except for Professor).

"What was THAT all ABOUT?" Professor asked in amazement. 

Kai walked down the streets as soon as he stepped outside the hotel's revolving glass doors. A man was looking at him from way atop the building, smiling.

"What would you do if eveything would be suddenly thrust into complete DARKNESS, Hiwatari? Ha ha…you've met her and yet you don't even know IT! And her broken wings shall then be shattered, and all you and your friends can do is to COWER before her anger. We shall meet, when the light and shadows show the path to the Goddess and the moon turns to BLOOD."

So saying, the man disappears, his laughter echoing in the stilness. 


	21. Everybody Meets Again

The Glass Feather

Errata: YIKES!! It's REMBRANDT, not RUBENS! Oh, and it's CHIAROSCURO. Eek, Oliver's going to kill me for THIS…^^;; Gomen, GOMEN! Anyway, WHO IS THAT GODDESS?! It's still far off into the future if you ask me, and NO, it's not ASAYA. She's a Cherry Tree Goddess, not a BROKEN-WINGED Goddess. Could this Goddess have something have to do with the Winged Nike…? Hmm…8]

Takao was wide-eyed as they were all ushered into the manor that night.

"Lord Kon would be meeting you shortly," the maid told them in a soft voice. "Please make yourselves at home while I go announce your arrival to him."

"O…K." The BBA Team were quiet for a few seconds, then Max gave a long low whistle.

"We have to be extra careful," Max whispered to Takao. "We wouldn't want Lei's grandfather to throw us ALL out because of YOU."

"HEY!" Takao protested indignantly.

"Is it going to be OK with Chairman Daitenji? He had an appointment with us first, anyway," Professor said worriedly.

"I have no idea," Kai replied. "But…he said don't worry about it, right?"

Tsukiyo was looking around the huge living room with interest. "So many ANTIQUES…are you sure we didn't wander off into a museum or something?"

"All genuine Chinoiserie, if I do say so myself," a familiar voice called out. "Ah, I always have a soft spot for rich old history."

"!!!" The whole BBA Team was surprised. "Chairman DAITENJI?!"

"Hello, kids, how was your trip going here? I trust it was without any incident," Chairman Daitenji said, with a small smile on his face.

"None whatsoever, Chairman Daitenji!" Max replied cheerfully.

"But…why are you here…?" Takao asked, blinking.

"I was planning to meet him for dinner, and he'll introduce me to all of you, so my grandson wouldn't have too much of a shock." Lao Kon emerged from behind Chairman daitenji, smiling at them in a grandfatherly manner. "Hello. I guess you're the legendary members of the BBA Team?"

"Yes, they are, Lao." Chairman Daitenji nodded. "The blinking one's Takao Kinogu, and the hyperactive one's Max Mizuhara."

"Good evening, sir," Takao and Max said at the same time.

"…" Lao blinked. "Oh? And who might those lovely ladies BE over THERE?" 

"Tsukiyo Shinohara and Asaya Ninomiya," Kai said, nodding. "One's excess luggage, the other's our assistant Bey tech."

"~~~~" SD Tsukiyo's eyes became devilish little slits.

"Goodness! Say, beautiful lady, did you repair Driger?!" Lao said, coming over to Asaya and holding both of her hands in his own.

"Errh…yes, sir…" SD Asaya replied, her eyes little beads.

"Lei didn't say you're an extremely BEAUTIFUL WOMAN! How OLD are YOU?"

A rolled up newspaper swung out of nowhere and hit him squarely at the back of his head. SD Lee had a gargantuan twitch on top of his head. "Quit it, you perverted old man, she's young enough to be your great great granddaughter…"

"???" Takao, Max and Professor all turned SD. 

"Meet Lee Kon, Lei's older brother," Chairman Daitenji introduced the young man, who by now was unrolling the newspaper. "He's quite well-known in the art community around here for his watercolor paintings, and his beautiful calligraphy."

"I'm not that GOOD, Chairman." SD Lee waved at them. "Hi."

"L-LEE~~~?!" SD Asaya was blinking.

"ASAYA~~~?!" SD Lee was blinking back right at her.

"???" Now even Kai and Tsukiyo were both SD.

"Lee's an -Auran-, too," Chairman Daitenji explained. "Been so for 23 years now. These 2 met before Lee went away 10 years ago."

"Hey, SQUIRT! I never thought I'd be seeing you HERE. You did one hell of a job with Gran Driger, I tell you! I just knew you'd be going somewhere," Lee told her.

"L-L-Lee…" SD Asaya became wobbly-eyed.

"!" Lee was aghast. "Don't cry, Llewelyn's going to kill ME~~~!!!"

"I REALLY will, you TRAITOR~~~!!! How DARE YOU show up after 10 long FRIGGING YEARS~~~!!!"

SD Llewelyn shot out of nowhere and kicked him away from Asaya, along with SD Giovanni and SD Pierre. SD Lee gets thrown off, his eyes little spirals.

"We thought you were DEAD those whitecoats were BEYOND reason they almost KILLED us in retaliation did YOU KNOW THAT~~~?!" SD Llewelyn said, panting for air, his hands curled up in little fists at either side of his body.

SD Lee was blinking, then became wobbly eyed. "I didn't KNOW! FORGIVE ME~~~!!!"

"…" The whole angry SD lot of the rest of the Bey Masters Team (with the exception of SD Asaya, who was still sniffling) glared at him. Then Llewelyn blinked.

"We were only KIDDING." He looks over at Chairman Daitenji. "Thank you sir, for inviting us along with you."

"No problem."

"FALSTAFF…you…BASTARD…" SD Lee had an ominous battle aura emanating from him.

"Got YOU!" Llewelyn laughed. "Hey I missed you Slow Pokey Bastard!"

"~~~~~"

Chairman Daitenji laughed. "Well, so everybody's here."

"Let's go inside, the dinner's going to get cold," Lao said. "And Lei's waiting for all of you there."


	22. Confessions and Confusions

Paradise Lost…

Author's notes: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU~~~!!! I feel so totally blessed by all of you who managed to stick to my novel through thick and thin! Again, ARIGATOU GOZAIMASHITA, MINNA-SAN~~~~!!! Special mention to A-leng! THANK YOU! J 

Lei was quiet, looking outside the huge floor to ceiling windows of the dining room, when the guests came piling in. Llewelyn and Lee were bickering like a bunch of 2 year-olds, and Chairman Daitenji was just laughing at their antics. Pierre, Giovanni, Kieran, Alphonse and Sigurd were talking to Takao and Max. Kai was just quiet. Tsukiyo was blinking, and…

Asaya was SNIFFLING?!

"LEI!" Takao exclaims, waving his arms at him. "Hey, are you ALRIGHT?! That Shao sure one-upped US real GOOD~~~"

"What happened to ASAYA?!" Lei asked him, his amber yellow eyes wide.

"Oh, that." Takao sighed. "She just burst into tears when she saw Lee. Apparently, Lee's also an –Auran-, and the last time they met was a good 10 years ago."

"Nah, Lee left them 10 years ago," Max corrected him. "I guess Lee had been there ever since Asaya was taken into the Guild, and she looks up to him like an older brother. As with Llewelyn."

"…I see." Lei became quiet.

"OK, seat yourselves according to eating disorders," Lee told the Bey Masters Team (the guys, anyway). "I trust Llewelyn's still the bottomless pit of the whole lot, the last time I remembered…"

"And you're sitting right next to ME," Llewelyn retorted. "I remember quite well who was THAT boy who managed to finish 3 family-size Pizza Hut Supremes in 1 frigging SITTING…"

"HEY! I was a growing KID~~~!!!" SD Lee snaps back, a black cloud on top of his head.

They all sat down to eat. Lao nodded, and the servers wheeled in the food for dinner. Takao was wide-eyed; he has never seen anything so wonderful in his entire life. Food as far as his eyes could see (on the long, rectangular table, anyway): sweet and sour pork, roast Peking duck, stir-fried vegtables with pork, stir-fried noodles with crispy vegetables, braised beef, beef in oyster sauce, crispy fried chicken, all sorts of beef, pork, and shrimp-filled dumplings, egg spring rolls, and huge bowls and huge bowls of fried rice, generously sprinkled with cubed carrots, cubed red bell peppers, green peas, and sliced scrambled egg, along with bits of sweet ham. Everything was washed down with sweet iced tea, and soon, dessert was served: black gelatin cubes dribbled over with sweet caramel syrup, and lots of sweet iced tea.

"Wow, that was very delicious, Mr. Kon," Takao says with a small satisfied smile on his face. "I don't think I'll EVER go to a Chinese restaurant AGAIN."

"Thank you," Lao told him with a big smile on his face. "Our dinner tonight's courtesy of my grandson Lei. He made everything possible."

Takao, Max, Kai, and Professor all looked at him in surprise. Lei had turned chibi-neko, his eyes little slits, and he was blushing. 

"You NEVER did say you could COOK, Lei," Takao told him, awestruck. 

"WOW," Max breathed, his blue eyes wide.

"A house-broken Tiger," Kai said in awe.

"And not a WORD." Professor shook his head.

Lao laughed. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~~~~!!! At the rate Lei's going, he's bound to get swamped by marriage proposals in the weeks that follow. I mean, they'd follow him EVERYWHERE once they also KNOW he could also COOK!"

"…" Lei glanced shyly over at Asaya, who was delicately nibbling on the black gelatin cube she had speared on her fork. He looks quickly away, feeling himself blush even more furiously.

"?" Lee blinked.

Tsukiyo caught this little exchange as well, and had a huge question mark on top of her head. Only Max had a big grin on his face, and Kai was predicting he'd tease Lei about it as soon as dessert was finished.

Chairman Daitenji, Lao, and Lee all stood up after dessert was finished. "Well then, children, we would be going off to the study for a few minutes. Llewelyn, could you come with us, please?" Chairman Daitenji said.

"?" Llewelyn slowly nodded. "Uh…certainly, Mr. Daitenji."

The 4 of them left the dining room, and Lei all ushered them into the wide gardens near the dining room. It now looked like some sort of Faerie wonderland, with all the spherical paper lanterns strung through the trees and giving off a soft, warm glow, bathing everything in its ethereal light.

Max pounced on Lei right away before he could even react. "HEY! I saw you giving Asaya Ninomiya a LOOK when your grandfather mentioned something about WEDDING PROPOSALS," he said slyly, grinning.

"…h-huh?!" Lei blinked. "What are you talking ABOUT?"

"Ooh, what was that?" Max's eyes sparkled. "Someday my princess would COME! Wait a minute, she's just sitting right in front of ME!"

"It's not what you think," Lei told him. He was fervently hoping the light was dim enough as for Max not to see him blush. "I…I…"

"You love Mao?" Kai said without looking up from adjusting his watch.

"…" Lei became instantly quiet.

"Oh dear, you have a BIG problem." Max pretended to be horrified. "She HATES you now, Lei. Why didn't you tell her SOONER?"

"I was too…scared…" Lei shook his head. "But…"

"Are you having a problem because you're being traitorous about your feelings for Mao?" Takao asked suddenly.

"I…"

"Lei. In the first place, you didn't promise her ANYTHING. You just said you'd ONLY be back, right, you DIDN'T say you'd be back soon to MARRY her. Well, unless of course, you've been writing her letters and you told her that…"

"…"

"If that should be the case, it's an entirely different THING." SD Takao nodded. "You didn't ask for that to happen. Shao just didn't have anything else better to do that was why he DID that. And nobody's blaming you for what you did, Lei, you did that for the good of the entire White Tiger Clan."

"But if I didn't…" Lei clenched his fists. "If I didn't leave, then none of that would have happened…Mao would then be…my wife."

"Lei…"

"She said it was my fault why…why she became like that…" Lei bowed his head. "It was my fault the entire village was decimated…"

"If you DIDN'T leave, then you would've been killed too, with the rest of THEM," Takao told him. "Lei. I know how you feel, but, we really can't dwell on the past now that everything has already happened. It wasn't YOUR fault. It was something deeper than all that…a conflict between the White Tiger and Black Tiger Clans. If Mao did care for you, she wouldn't have blamed you for what you did, because she, of all people, should KNOW you, and because…she LOVES you. But now…look what she did, she betrayed the White Tiger Clan she was supposed to have protected with her very life, until she breathes her very last. You all promised, right, to protect the White Tiger Clan no matter what happened? It's clear she forgot all about that promise and she's now making you suffer. What was it that you had all those years? It's not like Mao to forget something so pure and so beautiful just like that. It's time for you to move on." He nodded. "You may wait, but then, things would never be the same again. It's forever LOST."

"…"

"I've seen how you look at Asaya. I'm not that incredibly dense as not to sense something very special at the way you look at her, how much she means to you even though you're still denying that feeling, because of what you feel for Mao. Heh, it's pretty hard getting over Mao, but you must not forget you also have your own happiness to think of. As far as I can tell, you're NOT betraying anybody for what you FEEL. If you're scared, she's just right around the corner, waiting for you. OK, Lei?"

SD Max and SD Professor were looking at Takao funny. SD Takao blinked, then became an angry ogre. "WHAT~~?!"

Kai raised one eyebrow. "God forbid, where have you taken the REAL Takao?! Call and exorcist, QUICK!" he deadpans.

"What the HELL are you talking ABOUT~~~?!" SD Takao was huffing and puffing like an angry SD ogre. 

"…" Lei watched as his friends goof around, then turned to look over at SD Asaya, who was whispering something to Pierre, who had also become SD and was nodding very vigorously by the gazebo-like strucure. That pain went through him again, just like that night when Llewelyn leaned over and gave Asaya that kiss on Opening Ball last night.

He shakes his head.

***_I can't…be feeling this way…but…Mao…?_*** Lei looks at Asaya again, who burst out laughing when Giovanni threw a plastic spider towards Pierre's way, and he jumped off like an electrocuted cat. His amber yellow eyes became expressive. ***_Am I falling in love with you…?_*** 


	23. Sealed and Forgotten

The Shrine of Eden

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Alrighty! This is my next installment on the whole 6-working-day-a-week run. I really have to write things down fast, before our PC decides to crash down again. Yup, our PC crashed and ALL FILES were LOST! Now I have to start everything from scratch. Don't worry, I'm quite inspired at the moment, so I really, really have to write it down. Thank you for all your unwavering support Bookie and Fluffychans! And A-leng, too! Hmm, you guys deserve a GOOD reward…hee hee hee…8)

Lao nodded briefly to the maids who opened the carved cinnabar wood double doors for them to come in. "Thank you. Please see to the other guests, please. Make sure that we are not disturbed."

"Yes, Lord Kon."

Chairman Daitenji, Lee, and Llewelyn followed suit. The maids closed the doors behind them with a soft click. Lao puffed at his pipe and gestured to the squashy seats inside the lavishly decorated room. "Please make yourselves comfortable. I'll just go get something from the library."

Lee raised an eyebrow. Chairman Daitenji smiled. "There's really no rush, Lao. Do take your time."

Lao nodded, then left the room, entering a cleverly disguised door that doubled as a carved wall that depicted the Buddhist paradise. Llewelyn blinked. "That was quite unusual…"

"…" Lee shrugged. "Well…Grandfather's pretty out of this world sometimes, but he's a good man. Provided he doesn't see a skirt within a 500 mile radius around him."

Llewelyn shrugged. "Figures. The way he pounced on ASAYA a while ago was like a tiger pouncing on an unsuspecting prey. Forgive the comparison, Lee."

"He gives tigers a very bad name." Lee sighed. "Oh well. You'll get used to it. I've lived with him for the last 10 years and I managed to survive."

Chairman Daitenji sat down on one of the chairs beside the antique cinnabar wood table up front. "He was quite a skirt-chaser, but a very good man, as you say. He's one of the few men who donated for the cause of the World Bey Blade Championship Tournament."

"Of course. Dr. Leimrey told us, Chairman Daitenji. He's OVERJOYED to know Lao Kon has taken quite a fancy to sponsoring the tournament." Llewelyn turned SD. "I suppose it's for your comeback, Lee? The 'mere coincidence' thing is just too SUSPICIOUS."

"**_BA-KA_**."

"For one thing, it DID bring them all back together again, right? There's really no need to worry," Chairman Daitenji says with a nod.

"You said it right, Chairman," Lee answered.

"…" Llewelyn bit his lip and looked around the room. It was quite huge for an office, having been lavishly decorated with ancient Chinese antiques that included huge jars and priceless works of porcelain and hanging calligraphy scrolls. The wall behind the table was made of glass with a tall folding antique lacquered screen that depicted Chinese nobles in ancient flowing regalia of an empire long gone up front. The antique shelves were filled with books and bric-a-bracs from all around the world, and Lao's collection of sea navigational implements and old, yellowish maps painted on brittle parchment and mounted in frames.

"Sorry for taking so long." Lao appeared from the invisible doorway, carrying something that was covered in brown cloth. "I had to take this from the innermost corner of the library."

"!" Lee's eyes became wide.

"Uh…what's THAT?" Llewelyn asked, turning SD.

"The treasure of the 4 Gods." Lao set the box (it looked like a box) on the table then looked at them. "The place where no one dies…this treasure comes from there."

The old man removed the cloth to reveal a very old-looking box that looked like…

"Yes, it's one of those devilish Chinese boxes you've heard so much about," Lao told Llelwelyn as the young man was about to say that question. "The people who put it in there took tremendous care as not to let the treasure within fall into the wrong hands. Dr. Ninomiya was very fortunate enough to discover the secret of the box."

"Dr….Ninomiya…?" Llewelyn asked.

"He's a very famous archaeologist, very much in demand the whole world over," Lao explained. "He's been to digs more than the times we spent thinking. Anyway, he was the one who taught Takao Kinogu's father, and…Dr. Althens Leimrey. Very good man, he was. He died in that horrible plane crash over the Atlantic Ocean 16 years ago. Asaya didn't get to meet him."

"…"

"He's famous for his works about the –Holy Beasts-, which his student, Dr. Hideo Kinogu (I'm making Takao's father's name up, I haven't really caught it…^^;;…please e-mail me if you know! THANKS!), continued after his death. So, the secrets of the –Holy Beasts- were revealed to the BBA Team 4 years ago, after 12 years of intensive research. But…Dr. Leimrey wanted to take it one step further. Always been very impulsive and irrational and stubborn. He found out about the –Aurans-, which Dr. Ninomiya discovered while studying the –Holy Beasts-. –Aurans- are so powerful only 7 or so are born in a cycle of 500-700 years…these people were gifted with the power to call upon –Edains-…or, in our human language…-Forbidden Holy Beasts-. These –Edains- were the guardians of the Shrine of Eden, the fabled place where all –Holy Beasts- have been said to come from. The –Aurans- were the keepers of the Shrine's balance, and countless times, bloody wars have been fought again and again in a never-ending cycle, waiting for the Scarlet Moon to arise. The time for the moon to turn like so is when the broken winged goddess has been found, and the Gates to Heaven shall open, and tear everything asunder. Dr. Ninomiya knew of that dangerous secret and wished to seal everything, for the human race is not and will not accept this fate. 

"Time and time again, -Aurans- were feared and despised. Dr. Leimrey really tried to find all 7 of you to make his dream complete. He wishes to find that broken winged goddess and submit us all to our doomed fate. And to do that, he needs the power of the most powerful –Auran- to summon the –Sealer Edain-."

Lao gestured to the box.

"This treasure is what we have left of that civilization who was the first to have controlled –Holy Beasts-. For some strange reason, they have sealed the –Holy Beasts- and were scattered throughout the world, when something happened 10,000 years ago and destroyed their entire civilization…and the –Holy Beasts'- purpose…was forever lost."

They were all quiet. Lao nodded then his eyes became deadly serious.

"The Shrine of Eden was where everything began…everything was sealed. Who alone but the broken winged goddess could have guarded them from harm? But somebody, or some THING, has broken the seal and the –Holy Beasts- are upon us, as guardians and as friends. But…are they really there for US…or US for THEM? Why would this ancient civilization think of even sealing them when in 'truth' they were good? What is their purpose? What is OUR purpose? I guess Dr. Leimrey would be showing his ace cards very SOON. But as long as we have this treasure, not everything would be LOST." The old man gazed at Llewelyn very intensely. "Dr. Ninomiya gave this to me before he died. He somehow knew it would all come down to this. Are you ready for what you are about to learn, my young friend?"

"Yes, sir," Llewelyn answered him.

"Good." Lao nodded. "Then I'll show you." 


	24. Revelations

Shades of Gray

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Mm-hmm, beginning of Kai's and Asaya's little flashbacks. Seems like he and Asaya are connected to each other in more ways than one...and then some. Comments, suggestions, flames, etc., are HIGHLY appreciated. YAY! Go, WEEKLY FIX! ^o^

***_..._*** Kai looked up at his grandfather inquisitively as he and Balkov talked.

***_He is well, and good._***

***_Of course, Mr. Hiwatari, he is VERY special._***

Kai remembered that it was the first time he had ever seen his grandfather. He was born and raised in the Balkov Monastery, and had no recollections whatsoever of how his mother's smile was like or how his father looked like. Balkov told him stories of his grandfather when he started asking questions as a child, and as a precocious 4 year-old then, his innocent yet really good questions to the untrained listener unearthed lots and lots of facts.

Starting with his birth.

Balkov told him that he was VERY special. Kai wondered about it at how a child like he could be special when he was the cause of his mother's death on the childbed. One of the guards told him that one thing one day when he had been "bad" again.

He was the Monastery's hope, or so it seemed. Treating him like he was a work animal was bad enough, but pissed off guards breathing down your necks to continue with Bey Blade swing exercise no. 3,456 was another thing.

Was he THAT special that was why his grandfather left him?

His grandfather can't look at him without a small frown on his face every time he gazed at his grandson, as if seeing Kai was like seeing his worst infected foot blister. 

***_Do you hate me?_***

His grandfather laughed at that question he asked as a kid of 4.

***_What makes you think that, Kai? You are my sole grandchild, and you're about to inherit Hiwatari Corporation when you become of age._***

***_What, I'll change if I come of age? Would I look different?_***

***_Yes Kai, very MUCH._*** His grandfather reached out to ruffle little Kai's hair affectionately, with a smile that didn't quite reach up to his eyes. ***_You'll do great things in the future, and even greater things when you reach 15._***

Kai knew at once that his grandfather was a very evil man. 

And yes, his grandfather HATED him.

Then he remembered that day when a man in all white went to the Monastery with a huge basket in his arms.

***_Speak of the DEVIL! What do you THINK you're doing HERE?!_***

***_I found the last piece to the PUZZLE. Your Monastery's good as shot!_***

***_I do not WANT that freak in HERE! GET OUT! Or Hiwatari would have my HEAD!_***

The all-white man was laughing.

***_Seven of them, Balkov, SEVEN! Aren't you glad I've finally found them ALL?!_***

Kai looked inside the basket when Balkov and that man were arguing. Inside was a small infant, barely a week old, its eyes squeezed shut, and dressed in fluffy white silk, lace, and lots of ribbons. 

He remembered that it was some time after Christmas.

He was wondering if the infant hated him so much that was why it had its eyes squeezed tightly shut like that when the man and Balkov came over and saw him.

***_Two bloodlines, one cruel fate._*** The man laughs. ***_See you after 16 years, Balkov, and this little lady would rip your whole Monastery apart. Is that a deal?_***

***_OUT!_*** Balkov was shouting. ***_OUT!_***

And Kai never saw the infant again.

Asaya could remember the day so well.

It was her 3rd birthday, 3 days after the Guild has unsuccessfully tried to extract the -Sealer Edain- from her body, and discovered its existence within her, along with 8 other -Aetherions- more (note: Aetherions, -Holy Beasts-). She was holed up in her hospital bed, alright, and she was having a party with the rest of the Guild's med staff when he came.

He looked so grave, it was hard not to ask him about it.

***_Why are you so serious?_*** Asaya asked him.

***_..._*** The boy was just quiet, looking at her with emotionless red-brown eyes.

***_Do you want cake or ice cream? It's my birthday today, Llewelyn and the others can't come, and I'm all ALONE._*** Asaya smiled at him, her eyes closed happily, in spite of the many tubes sticking to her frail body that injected her with all sorts of test serums and medication. ***_Well?_***

The boy blinked, as if he remembered something about the way she smiled, Asaya wasn't quite sure.

***_Umm...this came from Llewelyn, that one from Lee, and those ones over there from D Ward where I stay at the labs...OH! And this one's my favorite, this came from a Mr. Hiwatari._*** Asaya showed him all her presents; the stuffed bunny and tiger she got from Llewelyn and Lee respectively, the cards and birthday balloons from the kind med staff of D Ward, and the antique dolls' house she got from that *certain* Mr. Hiwatari. She smiled that ethereal smile again. ***_Dr. Leimrey says this is PRICELESS, so I guess I could sell it and nobody would want it? I mean, it HAS no PRICE._***

***_Did you say Hiwatari?_*** the boy asked suddenly.

***_Yes, I DID,_*** Asaya replied. ***_Do you know him? Could you thank him for ME?_***

***_..._*** The boy became quiet again.

Dr. Leimrey hurries in, then sees the boy. He raised an eyebrow. ***_Oh DEAR, what are you doing HERE, your grandfather would have my HEAD. I told those stupid guards of yours to keep an EYE on YOU, but apparently they forgot._***

***_..._*** The boy didn't answer, but Asaya could not deny the fact that his red brown eyes became filled with a dangerous anger to them as he watched Dr. Leimrey.

***_There you ARE!_*** One of the scary looking black-cloaked men came and got the boy from Asaya's room.

Asaya looked pleadingly at Dr. Leimrey. ***_Can't he stay with me? I've made a new friend, and~~~_***

***_You're missing out on your afternoon NAP._*** Dr. Leimrey nodded over at the black-cloaked men. ***_Please get him out of my sight before I decide to have a high blood attack._***

***_Yes, sir!_***

And Asaya never saw that boy again. 

_Could it be possible that 2 fates could intertwine?_

Dr. Leimrey had tried to think of that over and over again as he sat in his office and he was drinking some wine.

He knew about Kai's little flashback, and Asaya's, too; because he was THERE.

He was the man in white in Kai's past, while Kai was the boy in Asaya's, and Dr. Leimrey to her even THEN.

He knew that this was the start of their 2 fates intertwining, and with the others as well, because he engineered the whole deal.

_EVERY single THING._

Shao's family massacre, Mao's decision, the death of the entire White Tiger Village, THIS Bey Blade Tournament, even Kai's parents' deaths, and Asaya's parents as well, and even that of her paternal grandfather's.

He hated every single one of them that was why he had them all killed or manipulated one way or the other.

***_RIP, Dr. Ninomiya, your granddaughter barely knew ye,_*** Dr. Leimrey says with a laugh, then sets his glass on the table in front of an old picture that was quite burnt at the sides.

And so, Satoshi Hiwatari and Maaya Hiwatari gazed and smiled upon him very lovingly, as they stood and sat there: Satoshi standing, his sister sitting.

And yes, they were Kai's father and Asaya's mother respectively.

They were FAMILY. 


	25. Musings

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Dr. Leimrey does not seem quite that gentle person he seems to be. Could Kai's mysterious past be known once and for all? And who is the REAL wolf in sheep's clothing? More on Lei and Lee and Llewelyn.

Lei was just absolutely quiet when they went home to their hotel room a little while later. Max and Takao were talking loudly among themselves, Professor was busy typing something on his laptop, Kai was quiet, Tsukiyo was sighing about something, and Asaya was writing something on her small Palm Pilot.

It looked like a pretty normal sighting of 5 young men and 2 lovely ladies just back from a very happening night from Paris' night strip.

Except that it was quite a "show".

Asaya and Tsukiyo retired to their rooms as soon as they stepped in through the door, while Max headed straight to the kitchen to scavenge for something sweet to nibble on. He returned to the living room a little while later, where all the BBA Team members were seated.

"Gee, I wonder what Mr. Kon's up to," Takao mused. "He, Chairman Daitenji, Lee, and Llewelyn didn't return to the gardens as the maid said they would."

"Maybe they're talking about something important, Takao," Max told him, as he pulled off the plastic wrapper of the cinnamon roll he was fortunate enough to rescue under Takao's very nose. "Mr. Kon looked especially grave about something a while ago."

"So how does it feel to know that you have an older brother NOW, Lei?" Kai asked.

"Weird." Lei blinked. "I always used to think that I was so alone in this world. The elders didn't say anything about it."

"They must have their own reasons for not telling you, but at LEAST you met him now. I mean, it's been a long while since Lee saw you last," Professor told him, looking up from his laptop. "Right?"

Lei nodded.

"And to think they've been living in France the whole while," Takao said softly. "I mean, we've been to France 4 years ago and we NEVER had any inkling your older brother and your grandfather were here."

"..." Lei looked down at his lap. "I never really knew my parents that much; they died when I was just a baby. The elders didn't say anything much about it...but..."

"But what?"

Lei was just quiet. 

A deep gray flashback came back to him, looking like some old home movie.

Lei was around 3 years old at the time, and he lived with the White Tiger village chief elder where he got his 1st Driger training. Rai and Mao lived with their parents then, and he won't be meeting them until he turned 5.

The chief elder was talking in hushed tones with somebody inside the main hall of the house. Although Lei was his adopted grandson, he was quick to go out of the chief elder's way whenever he had visitors inside the house. Mostly they were peddlers, and some wandering mendicant monks on their way to shrines and places he only heard about from Cook. What he knew of the outside world was a precious tiny thing, and he didn't tell the chief elder about it because it was that time when the whole village was under self-seclusion from the rest from the outside world.

Little Lei was playing with his toy dragon boat and toy imperial guards when he hears the sharp whap of the bamboo cane the chief elder always took with him on long walks on the cold unforgiving stone floor.

He looked quizzically up at Cook, who was busy chopping vegetables and pork and chicken for their evening meal. ***_What is that...? G'anpa angry again?_***

***_Always so persistent, those fools..._*** Cook muttered under his breath. ***_Better keep out of sight, little tiger, or else your grandfather would get angry again._***

***_I know._*** Lei stood up. ***_I'll see to the chickens out back, they're getting noisy again._***

***_Don't stray too far off, and please put your toys away first before doing so._***

***_Yes, Uncle Cook._***

Lei toddled, wearing a dark blue trouser-_cheongsam_ set and all (which was edged with white braid and had white frog closures) as he made his way to the backyard. The harsh voice of the chief elder made him drop the basket of corn kernels he was about to the feed to the chickens; it was the first time he heard the chief elder so angry.

***_You will NOT be getting anything from ME. That boy belongs here and you can't just take him anywhere you want to!_***

***_B-but...Master Kon...h-he..._***

***_I would NOT hear ANYTHING about that TRAITOR! He's nothing but a disgrace to the entire White Tiger tribe!_***

***_B-but..._***

The chief elder whaps his cane again. ***_They're all traitors! Even his SON! It's a good thing they were killed in that conflict 3 years ago; Lei was saved from their cruel fates!_***

***_Master Fei...he WASN'T..._***

***_Just GO! And don't come back AGAIN!_*** The chief elder was breathing very heavily. ***_And don't you EVER utter that damnable name under my roof AGAIN! You HEAR?!_***

There were hurried footsteps, and Lei hears the doors slam. He winced.

A group of cloaked men were gathered outside the doors, whispering among themselves. One of them blinked upon seeing tiny Lei staring at them with wide amber yellow eyes from behind the house.

***_By Byakko! Is it you, little master?!_*** The cloaked man had tears in his eyes. ***_Master Kon always thought of you...little master...he was so very worried..._***

***_OUT~~~!!!_*** Chief elder was VERY angry. ***_Don't come BACK! You're all BANISHED From this VILLAGE! OUT~~~!!!_***

The cloaked men were about to say something, but the villagers had already become murderous. They hurried off.

The chief elder looks over at Lei, who was shaking terribly. ***_Lei. Promise me you won't talk to those strangers if they even try to speak to you. Is that clear?_*** 

***_Who were they?_***

***_Traitors to the White Tiger tribe. Traitors who shouldn't be allowed to even come by the trees that surround this village._*** The chief elder walks off. ***_Let's go._***

It was the first time Lei saw how much the White Tiger tribe highly valued their traditions and how they frowned upon radical "traitors".Lei wanted so much to know who they were and that question never really found an answer until now.

"...Lei?"

"O-oh." Lei shook his head. "I'm...sorry. Were you saying something?"

"..." SD Max was wide-eyed. "I don't know Lei. You were like SO spaced out a while ago. Are you sure you're OK now?"

"Uh...y-yes."

"OK." 

Kai was just quiet.

"Well, let's get some sleep, we have Bey practice first thing in the morning." Professor closed his laptop. "It's been one long tiring day."

"..." Llewelyn had his arms crossed over his chest as he frowned. "The path to the broken winged Goddess..."

"Dr. Leirmey always told us stories about THAT, but I never really imagined it as something that was REAL." Lee shook his head. "I knew Grandfather was into something, but I never guessed how complicated it was until Dr. Ninomiya died all those many years ago and left us 'that' treasure."

"The most powerful -Holy Beast- to have ever lived. No wonder it was sealed." Llewelyn was quiet. "If that is the case then, Lei..."

"That -Holy Beast- needs 2 -Aurans- to be called forth. But Asaya's aether readings are so way off the scale; she is that legendary -Auran- Dr. Leimrey's been waiting for so long. She could easily summon that -Edain- and throw all of us into chaos. The Guild is just waiting for the right time to tap it and extract the -Aetherions- that guard it. Lei...I was always afraid for him. The White Tiger tribe has been known to be extremely powerful among all the clans that opposed it...and there was that '7 only' ruling among those -Aurans- who get born. It is enough for me to bear that burden, but...does Lei have to be burdened by it, too? I mean, all the things that HAPPENED to him...he still can't quite grasp the totality of it all just yet."

"And he has the 'symptoms' of being a 'specimen' like us. GOD forbid. I hope Dr. Leimrey doesn't find anything about him, which I highly doubt. He must be doing cartwheels all over the place by now."

"..." Lee was sad. "I hope I didn't meet him, not this way. If Lei totally lost it, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

"We don't have to worry about anything, Lee. He has his 'reason' to live. But I sure hope he wouldn't get too devastated when he finds out Asaya's true meaning and purpose to this world. Or of what he means to her."

"Yeah, you're so absolutely RIGHT." Lee raised a bottle of gin and lemon juice. "Care for a little nightcap before you head on home, you bastard?"

"Sure thing, slow-pokey tiger. Nothing but a cool drink to calm one's frazzled nerves." Llewelyn grinned. "By the way, do you have any Wild Turkey?" 

"...and in the end, there's always DARKNESS." A man smiled. "Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite. Oh, and have a little prayer stuck somewhere in the deep recesses of your heart because all of you would have their times cut drastically short. Starting with the little -Auran-."

He threw his head back again and laughed, his laughter bouncing off the cold stone walls of the building. 

Yes, it was great to be ALIVE. 


	26. Phoenix ARISE!

Dranzer Reborn

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Yup, make this twice a week fix. Kai's Dranzer gets a new makeover, it's the Iceland team's debut, and Mao's little reflections. Could Ying be harboring feelings for this erstwhile White Tiger? On an added note: Bookie, SD means becoming Super Deformed. The anime character turning SD becomes squat and cute-looking, with matching facial expressions to boot. It's the same as becoming chibi. Turning SD is used to connote silly, laughable situations in an anime. Hope I enlightened you about it! Oh, and check out my bio, I have something for you there (gomen, I have no idea how to contact you because you have no e-mail addy...^^;; ; it's concerning the Beybreak Memorial reward). Thanks! :)

"Go....SHHOOOOOOTTTTT~~~~!!!"

Faust Dragoon tore up the cobblestone pathway of the small park right in front of their hotel as Takao, Max, Lei, and Kai woke up for some early morning Bey Blade practice, Takao and Max taking a go with Faust Dragoon and Holtz Draciel respectively. Professor was just seated on the park bench, typing on his laptop, while Lei and Kai were watching their 2 other teammates.

Max grinned. "Heh heh, that won't even scratch Draciel, Takao! Try this one on for SIZE!"

Holtz Draciel tore up the other side of the pathway and met Faust Dragoon right in the middle; there were curling sparks of electricity as both Bey Blades attacked each other at once.

Faust Dragoon and Holtz Draciel broke off, and spun on opposite ends of the makeshift Bey stadium, seeming to measure each other's strengths. Lei blinked, then smiled. "They're starting to 'think' just like their masters..."

"Heh heh heh heh, I won't let you get away with THIS MAX!" Takao swipes his arm. "DRAGOON! CYCLONE SLASH~~~!!!"

A furious cyclone started about Faust Dragoon's dragon wing attack ring that sent dead leaves whirling in a frenzy about it. The attack ring emitted a dark blue and ice blue glow (due to the alternating razor-sharp wings and spurs) as it headed straight for Holtz Draciel. 

"HAH! I won't be defeated THAT easily!" Max clenches his fists. "DRACIEL! WATER LANCE~~~!!!" 

Water started swirling about Holtz Draciel's flipper attack ring, scattering a fine mist spray about it. Then it shoots off straight towards Faust Dragoon, the water swirling about it and turning into one watery lance. 

They met halfway, and the clashing Bey Blades created a terrific burst of sound that sent startled birds nesting in trees to take flight. Kai and Lei shielded their faces from the onslaught by means of their arms, while Professor just gaped. The Beys' powerful attacks sent a series of same sound bursts over and over again, and showed no signs of letting down. 

A small crowd started to gather about the 2 combatants, and started whispering among themselves excitedly. Takao's dark blue eyes glinted with mischief as he looked over at Max, who also had the same glint in his eyes as well, and nodded. Yes, they will put up a nice fight. 

The Beys whirled, dashed, attacked, spun off again. It was like watching a very surreal ballet in action; they were moving very fluidly, as if of the Beys knew what the other was going to do next, attacking and defending liberally as needed. Their tremendous amount of released energy scattered the dead leaves a-flurry about them, interspersed with crackling sparks of electricity as well. The crowd gasped and clapped at the right places, and to them, it was the same as watching a Bey battle in one of the Bey Stadiums dotting Paris for the Finals tournaments. 

But alas, the fight has to end. Takao shot his fist into the air. "DRAGOON~~~!!! SKYSCYTHE, NOW~~~!!!"

"TRIDENT TIDE, DRACIEL~~~!!!" Max shouts.

Twin shafts of light shot down from the heavens and struck the Beys, to the wild cheers of the watching crowd. The Blue Dragon and the Green Tortoise shot out from the crystalline central bits, amidst the lights of the 4 jewels that surrounded it, roaring as they went. Both wind and water merged, turning into one furious blue-green tornado.

Then, just as fast as it happened, it was over. Faust Dragoon shot out from the twisting column of merged wind and water, Takao catching it deftly with his hand. Max blinked and caught Holtz Draciel from the twisting wind and water, as well.

The crowd cheers wildly. Takao shot one fist in the air, his Faust Dragoon glinting in the early morning sun. "YEAH~~~!!! We're gonna whip them good, DRAGOON~~~!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahaha~~~"

The crowd just pounced on him, making him lose his balance. Max blinked, then started to laugh; Lei just shook his head, his shoulders shaking with laughter. Professor smiled, and Kai just shrugged, his usually very serious demeanor softening with a hint of a smile. All was well with the BBA Team that morning, their laughter echoing throughout the early Paris morning, and it was good. Yes, it was great to be ALIVE.

"..." Tsukiyo was rubbing her eyes sleepily as she went and stood beside Professor. "What's the ruckus all about?"

"Takao's getting attacked by his groupie mob," Professor replied. He looked up at Tsukiyo. "Sorry. Did we wake you up?"

"Oh, NO. I mean, your yells could only be heard for like 20 floors up each of the hotels within a 5 mile radius around this frigging park." Tsukiyo blinked. "God. His fans are way more rabid here than back in Japan..."

"You said it right." Professor blinked, then looked over at Asaya, who was yawning and rubbing her eyes sleepily with her left hand as she stood beside Tsukiyo, and was holding something covered in cloth in her right. "Uh...Miss Asaya..."

"Where's Kai?"

Professor just pointed to where Kai was, standing beside Lei.

"Thanks, Professor." Asaya went over to where the 2 young men were standing. "Excuse me, Kai?"

"?" Kai blinked.

"I..." Asaya gave him the cloth-covered parcel (it looked like it...^^;;) then yawned. "Oops. Sorry about that...well anyway, Ein Dranzer's ready to take flight. I made some final adjustments last night, according to your attack data I got from Professor. I hope you like it."

"..." Kai removed the cloth then gazed down at his Bey Blade. It was a bright red in color, its central ruby crystalline bit up on top and encircled by 4 red jewels on its 4 cardinal points around its diameter. The attack ring looked like Faust Dragoon's, except that it was sleeker, and had no alternating spurs. The attack ring looked like stylized phoenix wings that looked too sharp to touch, and the Bey itself was unbelievably lightweight.

"Ein Dranzer's well rounded in its attack, defense, and speed capabilities, but its true strength lies in its sniping abilities; it can pinpoint any opposing Bey on the battlefield with uncanny ease and pummel it with its Fire attacks all in a blink of an eye. The 'phoenix wings' on the attack ring doubles as an offensive and defensive add-on of sorts; shoot it too fast it can cut through a 3 foot thick solid steel door, and the 'wings' can sort of 'fold' into themselves and turn into an impenetrable shield. Material's basic Guild base, lightweight armor for increased mobility without sacrificing superior armor protection. Attack up 500%, defense up 470%, speed up 600%. Shooter's genuine Skyscythe, please handle it with care. Any more questions?"

Kai got his Skyscythe and looked at it: it had a stylized phoenix curled about the grip handle, and had a dark red jewel set on top. He looked at Asaya. 

"How much speed do I need to cut through Takao's adamantium stomach?" he deadpans.

"AAAAAALLLLLLLLRRRRRRIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHTTTT~~~~!!!" Maverick grinned. "Welcome, everybody, for another EXCITING BEY MATCH~~~~!!! This morning we're going to have the 2 hardest hitters of the Arctic region, Team Iceland and Team FINLAND~~~!!! Who will advance to the SEMIFINAL ROUND?!"

"..." Freyja was just looking through her latest _Next Gen Gaming Monthly_ magazine when Yuri waved his hand in front of his younger sister's face. "Hey, you're doing OK?"

"Yeah. I just feel a little bored, is all." Freyja sighed. "The way Klaus has been giving us a pep lecture a while ago was so much like my Biology teacher lecturing on the life cycle of a protozoan."

"Well, there's really nothing more to pep talk about," Yuri replied. "Besides, I think Klaus could sense that his pep lecture was going to bore you all anyway, that's why he decided to make it even MORE boring. He's been pretty agitated, ever since he learned that _escargots_ were actually SNAILS during dinner last night."

"Yup, that's OUR Klaus." Freyja looked at her brother. "Have you seen the standings?"

"Mmm-hmm. Pretty chaotic. The teams who got defeated on the opening day salvo get 2 remaining chances in order to keep themselves a-float." Yuri nodded. "I have them all here."

"..." Freyja sighed again. "Yeah, it's going to be a LONELY trek to the top. I sure hope we get to the Finals."

"Of COURSE." Yuri frowned. "There's one team you should be very wary of, though. The Chinese Team."

"Oh, yeah! I've heard how they decimated their opponent team's Bey Blades. Talk about HEARTLESS! Now they wouldn't be able to compete for 2nd and 3rd chances to stay in the game; I understand they've cried blood just to be able to get this far then something like that happens." Freyja frowned. "I'm going to make them PAY."

"Hey, shrimp! It's our turn next!" Klaus Ingren called from the end of the bench.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Freyja put down her magazine then waved at her brother. "See you in a while, Yuri."

"..." Yuri watched as his sister went into the Bey Stadium amidst thunderous applause from the audience. Yes, she was just so much like _him_. 

***_You're...leaving?_***

Lei smiled at her sadly.

***_Yes, Mao. I'm so sorry about this..._***

Mao blinked back tears as she watched Lei disappear down the road that led outside their village. The dying sun was just over the horizon, and yes, Lei was to disappear along with it forever.

***_Lei..._***

***_Don't worry, Mao. I will come back. I promise. I will come back to YOU..._***

Lei looked so handsome then, smiling at her gently. That smile that was hers and hers alone. Then he leaves...

Was he crying?

No. The leader of the White Tiger tribe did not CRY.

But she did.

Mao cried and cried and cried, first dropping down to her knees, then sitting on the ground after a few seconds lapsed. Her carnation pink hair flowed behind and about her, glinting in the light of the dying sun; the tears flowed and did not stop. 

Was it wrong to have loved Lei?

Was it wrong to have her dreams go along with him, even if it was dangerous, because it may never return to her ever again?

Did Lei even love her?

What if he actually didn't...?

Why was he here again?

Why did he even...

"Mao."

Mao blinked, then looked over her shoulder. Ying was standing there, looking at her curiously.

"What?"

"Shao wishes to talk to you..." Ying said softly.

"Why didn't you even tell me, for crying out LOUD?!" Mao stood up, frowning. "You could do with a little vocalization, you KNOW. You're probably gasping your death rattles already and I won't even have a clue you're already DYING."

"..."

"Where is he?!"

"He's talking to 'him' in the dining area."

"Alright. THANKS."

Mao went off, her twisted up coiffure on top of her head glinting in the overhead lighting, harumphing as she went. Ying still can't get through to the elusive young woman; she was always irritable about something, but she was tough and she really got his respect. He was always wondering what happened between Mao and the leader of the White Tiger tribe; she was totally shattered and devastated about it when they raided the White Tiger village 4 years ago. He saw a part of her then that was very rare to come by nowadays. Shao had helped her to stand up on her own 2 feet, and he knew how much Mao was VERY grateful to him for helping her through that "hell" she went through.

But...

Why do her eyes look like shuttered windows to him? 

***_Although she'll never admit it, her eyes would only open up to Lei Kon and nobody else._*** Ying's eyes became expressive.

***_I wish it was ME..._***


	27. Klaus VS Hans: Will of Might, Will of Sw...

Team Iceland VS Team Finland

Klaus VS Hans:

"Will of Might, Will of Sword"

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is it, battle between Iceland and Finland! Who would win?! Coming up next, the return of Black Dranzer! Plus, Geiger's true powers revealed. Enjoy! :)

"Alright, BLADERS, COME FORWARD~~~!!!"

Klaus, Freyja, and their 2 other teammates went forward, looking straight over their adversaries, the Finland Team. Klaus' ice blue eyes narrowed as he gave each and every single one of them a thorough look-over from head to foot.

"Ruthless fiends," he mutters. "Pretty tough, too. They're going to give the Chinese Team a run for their frigging money."

"But we can nail those losers, right, Klaus?" Freyja asked their team captain softly, without removing her blue eyes, so much like Yuri's were, from the enemy.

"We've always been known as a team of 'bad weeds'," Klaus told his youngest team member. He gave a small satisfied grin. "Don't worry, we'll make those wussies scream for mercy the time we're finished with them."

"..." Freyja was just quiet.

"...and most of all, I want a clean, fair FIGHT~~~!!!" Maverick was nodding. "Alright, first Bladers for the opening salvo, are you all ready to rip it?! Then please step FORWARD~~~!!!"

"Be careful, Klaus," Freyja told him.

Klaus nodded. "Heh. I wouldn't lose this fight for the world."

He steps forward, his slanted ice-blue eyes narrowed and set. His shoulder length light blond hair fell about his shoulders quite nicely, some of it stuck right behind his right ear, where a few strands had escaped and fell lightly across his forehead. He was wearing a dark brown sleeveless long coat with fur trimming over a crisp starched white polo short (which was opened a few buttons that revealed his collarbone), a pair of baggy jeans and low boots on his feet. A double stranded choker was about his neck, from which a decorative silver clasped blue flint crystal hung, carved with a figure of a huge ferocious wolf.

"For the Iceland Team, we have Klaus INGREN~~~!!!"

Several people cheered, mostly girls. They can't help it; Klaus looked like a beautiful male model of GQ.

"And for Team Finland, we have Hans REYJVIK~~~!!!"

Maverick looked at each of them, then nodded as she swipes her arms in the air. "Alright, BLADERS! Are you guys ready to rip IT~~~?!"

Hans Reyjvik smirked then got his Bey Blade, setting it on his Shooter. It was black in color, and had wicked looking spurs on its attack ring. His brown eyes glinted with mischief. "Are you ready to die?"

"..." Klaus set his own Bey Blade, a cerulean colored one, and set it on his own Shooter. "You wish."

"Alright THEN~~~!!! Let's do the COUNTDOWN, EVERYBODY~~~!!!" Maverick raised her fist into the air.

"3..."

Hans aimed his Bey at his opponent, his eyes glinting mischievously.

"2..."

"..." Klaus just stared at him, his ice blue eyes expressionless.

"1..."

***_Be careful, Klaus..._*** Freyja bit her lip, her blue eyes becoming expressive.

"GOOOOOO...SSSSSHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTT~~~~!!!"

Hans laughed, then let his Bey rip the stadium. "Go, PALLAS~~~!!!"

"SURTUR, finish him OFF~~~!!!" Klaus yells.

The 2 Beys entered the concave stadium, scattering sparks of electricity about. Maverick blinked.

"The 2 Beys have entered the STADIUM~~~!!! Pallas is coming on strong, he's literally tearing the entire stadium APART~~~!!! Could Surtur stop his onslaught?! Only time could TELL~~~!!!"

Pallas leapt right through the air, and Klaus' eyes became wide. "WHAT~~~?!"

"Heh heh heh, say your prayers, pretty boy! Your Bey's as good as FINISHED~~~!!!" Hans' brown eyes widened, then he swipes his arms in the air. "PALLAS~~~!!! DIVE CRUSHER~~~!!!"

A dark red light was emitted from the central bit, and soon, a similar pillar of light shoots right off into the air, revealing itself as a ferocious demon boar. It dove straight towards Surtur at breakneck speed, intent on crushing his Bey into very fine powder.

"~~~!!!" Maverick's eyes went wide. "Pallas is going in for the KILL~~~!!!" 

Pallas buries itself onto the hard, unforgiving surface of the Bey Stadium, which cracked and shattered upon its impact. A dark red light shone right through the many cracks it made, and the audience gasped. Yuri's eyes went wide.

Klaus shielded his face with his arms as the explosion that occurred threw bits and pieces of the stadium right at him, along with clouds of dust. Hans was laughing manically. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~~~~!!! That's it Pallas, CRUSH HIM~~~!!! Don't leave anything BEHIND~~~!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~~~!!!"

Pallas leapt off, dove and crashed again, leapt, dove and crashed again. Maverick could not believe what she was SEEING. 

"All hell breaks loose as Pallas decimates the ENTIRE Bey Stadium with his devastating and famous finishing move Dive Crusher! Could this be the end of Surtur?!" 

Hans grinned at Klaus, who by now was standing close to the arena being destroyed in the process. "HAH! What can you say about that, pretty BOY?! You better back off now, while your Bey's still ALIVE, you know. Don't want to get those pretty ice blue eyes of yours 'all washed-up', so to speak." 

"Speak for yourself, you ingrate. The fight's not over yet." Klaus' ice blue eyes narrowed. "Who'd do the crying, I wonder?" 

Hans frowned. "What do you MEAN?" 

Klaus sighed slowly. "Just watch and LEARN, and pay close attention to what I'll do to your pathetic little Bey." He glances sharply up at the ceiling. "SURTUR!" 

Maverick turned SD, her eyes little beads. "Eh...?!" 

A cerulean streak shot off towards the high lamps up in the ceiling, glinting like a bright torch. Hans' eyes widened. 

"WHAT~~~?!" 

Maverick gripped the handrails, her orange eyes wide and blinking. "What's THAT~~~?! Surtur's avoided ALL of Pallas' attacks with nary a SCRATCH~~~!!! It's Team Iceland's TURN~~~!!! Could Surtur turn the tables in their FAVOR?!" 

"You keep forgetting you're dealing with Klaus Ingren here...and I'M not just ANY BLADER! You'll regret insulting ME~~~!!!" Klaus swipes his arm diagonally downward, his ice blue eyes little slits. "SURTUR~~~!!! KAISER NOVA ATTACK, NOW~~~!!!" 

Surtur's central bit glowed a cerulean blue, and a shaft of light shoots out, entwined with many ghostly sparks of cerulean lightning. A huge wolf appears, roaring for all its worth. He had lightning-shaped face tendrils (^^;;), and he had a 6 pointed star on his forehead. 

He appears on top of a hill and howls. A brilliant orb of white light appears right above his head, scattering rays of white light about. The wolf then broke into a full run towards the enemy Bey, its fangs bared, its claws ready to rip it asunder. The Bey Stadium suddenly looked as if it was in outer space, complete with swirling comets and spiraling galaxies that went by like a blur in its passing. 

The wolf turned into a brilliant white comet that crashed headlong onto the enemy Bey, which was surrounded by a 6-pointed star sigil superimposed with a huge broadsword on top. Hans' eyes were wide as a huge explosion rocked the entire place, scattering shafts of white light about into the disbelieving audience. 

Maverick gritted her teeth. "What...is Surtur~~~"

As if on cue, Pallas gets thrown off in slow motion, neatly disassembled into its primary parts, its central bit flying off. It landed in pieces right before Hans' feet, who stared down at it in surprise.

"What...what the~~~"

Maverick blinked. "OH! Looks like we have a WINNER~~~!!!" She shoots her fist into the air. "Pallas, out cold and disassembled! Surtur, miraculously intact and still spinning inside the Bey Stadium! The winner...KLAUS INGREN of the ICELAND TEAM~~~!!!" 

"..." Klaus was just quiet. Hans picked up his disassembled Bey and mumbling to himself, went back towards his seat.

"Alright! 1 win for the Iceland TEAM~~~!!!" Freyja was grinning. "Heh heh, I just KNEW you could do IT~~~!!!"

Klaus got his still spinning Surtur then headed back towards his seat. He looks over at Freyja, who met him as soon as he got in. "Show them no mercy, Stross."

"You can count on ME!" Freyja nodded. "Alright, It's Fenrir's turn! I'll show them my Stross Blue Plate SPECIAL~~~!!!"

She runs into ringside. Yuri looked over at Klaus as he sat beside him. 

"Tough bastards," Klaus muttered. "But we can handle them real fine."

"I know." Yuri blinked, then looked over to where his sister was, waving and grinning widely at the adoring audience. "It's all just a matter of seconds before you win this set."

"..." A young girl frowned as she looked through the data she has just collected.

"Doing fine, Emily?" a man asks, as he stood beside her while puffing his pipe.

"Doing just fine." Emily Birkin (I'm making her surname up, please e-mail me her real surname, PLEASE! Thanks! ^.^) looked up at the man beside her, her sea-blue eyes narrowed and set. "I'm almost finished..."

"That's good to hear." The man puffs at his pipe again. "Have you gathered enough data?" 

"I have loads of them." Emily lightly ran her hands across the laptop she always had with her, typing furiously away. "The data analysis is nearly complete, too. The last pieces of data I need involve the Chinese Team and the BBA Team."

"That's fine." The man was gazing at the scene going on below. "All ready for immediate 'data infusion'?"

"Yes, sir. 92.317% complete." Emily nodded. "Should be ready for Project Avatar in a few days' time."

"That's VERY good." The man was smiling. "It's a really good thing we got hold of you just in time before you decide to follow Mizuhara in that despicable PBB whatchamacallit. You've become a very valuable asset."

"Thank you, sir."

"I'll be expecting you for lunch later. The usual?"

"Anything would be just fine, sir."

"Good. Later, Birkin." With that, the man walks away.

"..." Emily closed her laptop. Getting the Black Tigers' Team would probably be very tough to do, with that pink moppet around, but she'll get down to it, anyway. The only real problem she's going to have would be getting the BBA's data. Professor and Max she could barely handle, and now she's heard that the -Auran- was also on their team, as well. Asaya Ninomiya was a Bey tech prodigy, having been taught and her innate skills nurtured by Dr. Leimrey, who wished to have her become the creator of the world's deadliest and most powerful Bey Blade with trillions of euros worth of Guild technology. She could safely say she wasn't bad a prodigy herself: having graduated from MIT with a perfect 1.0 average, everybody wanted a piece of her talent. But coming across the rec files for the Guild's premiere tech center in Switzerland, they flatly told her that her application wasn't acceptable, for there was only one room for another Bey tech trainee and that was the Ninomiya brat. She could've handled that well, but, the fact that they turned her down for a 14 year-old was just a little TOO much.

She had a really rough time after that, but then came the hacker job offer from Beytech Industries, a new company delving in Bey Blade research all over the world, aiming to topple the Guild in their own field of expertise. Emily was in her element at last, and has proved to be a very valuable asset in all aspects of Beytech's activities, like recording data for the ultimate Bey Blades, and perfecting them to become the deadliest weapons the world has ever known.

Starting with the resurrection of the Black Dranzer.

Emily gave a small smile as she stood up and headed straight outside, that little thought brightening up her otherwise dismal day.

Yes, it was GREAT to be BACK. 

Takao was practically running to their shuttle bus that was to take them to the stadium some time later. "Oh my GOD how could have I possibly FORGOTTEN that she's on TODAY~~~?!"

"Hold on Takao, wait for ME~~~!!!" Tsukiyo yells, running after her childhood best buddy.

"..." SD Max had a silly grin on his face, Kai was blinking, Lei had turned into a helpless looking chibi neko, while Asaya was talking to Professor about something. It was almost 9:00 am, and the Bey matches resumed a 15 minutes ago.

Chairman Daitenji was smiling at all of them as they reached the shuttle bus a little while later. "I trust you all had a wonderful Bey Blade practice, children. I've heard from a couple of tourists passing by."

"Yes we did, Chairman Daitenji," Max replied. "Kai and Lei were determined to blow the entire park off into smithereens, but Professor finally put his foot down. And Takao suddenly got a zillion ants in his pants that was why we had to hurry over here."

"Well, we HAVE an upcoming MATCH," Takao said.

"Yeah, like 24 hours later," Kai said. "Admit it Kinogu, you just want to see your GIRLFRIEND."

"She's not my GIRLFRIEND!" Takao said hotly, his flaming cheeks belying his current emotional state.

Chairman Daitenji laughed boisterously. "Well, well, well. Hurry on, children, Takao's going to be VERY late for his date."

"Chairman Daitenji...you TOO~~~?!" SD Takao's eyes became wobbly.

"Come on Takao, your mystery date awaits," SD Max said with a laugh, as he pushed Takao up the bus steps.

"HEY! Wait UP~~~!!!"

They all turned around to see SD Lee running towards them, along with SD Llewelyn. Their eyes were little beads.

"Oh...Lee! Llewelyn! What are you guys doing HERE?" Asaya asked, her eyes wide and blinking.

"We heard Team Iceland's on," Lee replied, pausing to catch his breath. 

"Yeah," Llewelyn added, gasping. "Mind you, we had to plow through 8 gargantuan-sized hedges just to get to here."

"Well...uh...OK." Max blinked. "The whole bus is yours and ours to terrorize on the WHOLE trip going to the Stadium."

"Great! THANKS!" SD Lee and SD Llewelyn said with silly grins on their faces.

They all boarded the bus.

"You REALLY plowed through 8 gargantuan-sized hedges going HERE?" SD Professor asked disbelievingly.

"Yes," Llewelyn said, nodding. "But no need to worry, everything's well-taken cared of." 

The bus pulled out of the parking lot. And tourists stopped and pointed at the burning grove of trees hedges from a distance.

Yep.

Geiger season was DEFINITELY here.


	28. Lars VS Olaf: Blaze forth! Gallea's Illu...

Lars VS Olaf:

"Blaze forth! Gallea's Illusion Attack"

AUTHOR'S NOTES: GOMEN for taking a LONG time to UPLOAD~~~!!! Lost internet prepaid credits...ahem. Anyway, it's 2nd battle for the Iceland Team. Would Takao and his friends be able to make it just in time for Freyja's match? Somebody else has something else in mind for the BBA Team. Who and what could it be? And it wasn't what Kai expected...not in a million years. Read on and find out! ^o^

Maverick raises her hands in the air.

"ALRIGHT~~~!!! Team Iceland wins that battle handily with the help of their very able and very handsome team captain, KLAUS INGREN~~~!!! Even though these 2 teams are somewhere within the vicinity of the Arctic regions, the Bey battles are just getting hotter and HOTTER~~~!!! Let's all give a round of applause to both teams for jobs well DONE~~~!!!"

The audience cheered very loudly and wildly.

"That was great, Klaus!" Freyja said, coming up to meet the young man coming down from the stage.

"Thanks," Klaus replied. "It was nothing. But they're really living up to their name as the 'Butchers of the Arctic'...I wouldn't want to meet them in a dark alley, even if you paid my weight in gold."

"Even worse than the Chinese Team...?" Freyja asked.

"I guess so." Klaus nodded over to the young man seated in the shadows of the "dugout" (^^;;). "Lars, be careful. They're ruthless."

"No problem." The young man stands up and comes into the light. "Just leave it to Gallea and me."

"And now, would the next Bladers please step FORWARD~~~!!!" Maverick yells. 

Yuri was just quiet as his sister cheered her teammate onto the arena. ***_Even worse than the Chinese Team...I wouldn't say that. The Black Tigers are the fiercest Bladers I have ever encountered in my entire life. It's really hard not to notice that team with that kind of power..._***

"For Team Iceland...we have Lars Eckart~~~!!!"

Lars Eckart stood there, chewing on some gum. He was tall and lanky, with dark brown hair cut Trunks style and gentle ice silver eyes. He was wearing an oversized white t-shirt with a Mr. Clean Wipe-Ups logo up front over a dark red long sleeved shirt, a pair of baggy 6 pocket dark brown corduroy pants, a pair of bright red Chuck Taylors, and a white belt around his waist. He was wearing several bracelets on his right wrist, and had a silver chain about his pants. A pair of glasses was perched on top of his nose. He had his hands on the back pockets of his pants, surveying his opponent intently. 

"And for Team Finland, we have Olaf Roentgen~~~!!!"

The crowd started cheering wildly. Olaf Roentgen glared right back at Lars, his violet eyes flashing.

"Are you READY~~~~?!" Maverick swipes her arms in the air. "Alright, Bladers at the shooting POINTS~~~!!!"

Lars and Olaf got in position.

"3...2...1...GOOOO...SSSHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTT~~~~!!!"

Olaf releases his dark green Bey onto the stadium. "Go, EONGARD~~~!!!"

"..." Lars shoots his white Bey onto the stadium.

"Alright, both Eongard and Gallea have entered the stadium! Who would win, who would lose?! It's too early to tell, as both Beys enter the stadium with nothing but total annihilation of their opponents by the way they are attacking each OTHER~~~!!!"

Eongard and Gallea hit each other again and again as they circled the Bey Stadium like mini dervishes, sparks flying off every time they hit. The crowd gasped and cheered at the right places, and the 2 Beys look like they were also intent in ripping the entire stadium apart.

Eongard flies off in a graceful arc as Gallea hit it. Maverick blinked, then her orange eyes became wide. "Oh NO~~~!!! Eongard flies off...is the Bey going to land outside the STADIUM~~~?!"

"Heh. Not on your life, 4-eyes." Olaf swipes his arm. "EONGARD~~~!!! BLAZE SHOOT~~~!!! GO~~~!!!"

A strange green flame surrounded Eongard as it shoots toward Gallea after being thrown off. It hits the white Bey squarely, and the entire stadium was choked with billowing clouds of dust and debris.

"~~~!!!" Maverick shook her head. "That was one powerful MOVE~~~!!! Folks, what you just saw was Eongard's fatal Blaze Shoot, known to annihilate any Bey which unfortunately gets in its way...those flames are hot enough to melt them into OBLIVION~~~!!!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA~~~~!!!" Olaf was laughing. "How about that, 4-eyes? What do you say NOW?!"

"Pathetic." Lars frowned. "Is that ALL you can DO?!"

"WHAT~~~?!" Olaf was enraged. "How could you even~~~"

There was a white flash of light, and soon Eongard's thrown off again out of the stadium.

"~~~?! It can't BE~~~"

"Gallea, GO~~~!!!" Lars swipes his arm. "OMNIFLASH~~~!!!"

"Not if I can help it...EONGARD~~~!!! DEATH BUSTER~~~!!!" Olaf yells.

A deep green shaft of light appears from Eongard's central bit, revealing a -Holy Beast- that was really very frightening indeed: a Grim. A white light shoots up from Gallea's own central bit to reveal a -Holy Beast- that looked like a Ninetails.

The entire stadium became very black as Eongard's Grim unleashed a terrible howl that chilled to the bone, whomever hears it. Several dark green spears of light came up and rained down on Gallea, intent on crushing him to oblivion. The white -Holy Beast- just looked up, calmly observing the horror that was to rain down upon him. There was a brilliant white flash of light, and~~~

"Holy COW is this for REAL~~~?!" Maverick was gripping the handrails very tightly, her eyes very wide and blinking. 

It seemed as if the -Holy Beast- has split itself into many separate entities and rushed towards its enemy -Holy Beast- amidst many swirling lights of blue and silver and cream.

The 2 met halfway. All of Team Iceland, Team Finland, the audience, Maverick, and 2 opposing Bladers shielded their faces with their arms as a brilliant, powerful blast of light filled the entire stadium, and they all knew no more. 

Eongard gets thrown out, and landed quite still upon Olaf's feet. Gallea was still spinning right in the middle of the Bey Stadium, Lars just smiling faintly. Maverick blinks, then swipes her arm in the air. 

"Eongard, down and OUT~~~!!! The winner is Lars for the ICELAND TEAM~~~!!!"

The crowd cheered very loudly.

"YYYYYAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY~~~~!!!"

Lars shook his head and walked away. "See you in a million years or so, loser."

"Alright, 2 to none, Team Iceland VS Team Finland~~~!!! Who would emerge victorious?!" Maverick nodded, and swipes her arms in the air. "Next Bladers, please step FORWARD~~~!!!"

"Come on, come on, come on," Takao muttered, as he started tapping his foot impatiently on the floor of the airconditioned shuttle bus.

"I wonder what's going on," Max said, blinking. "We've been stuck here for almost 10 minutes..."

"I guess they're all excited to get to the respective Bey Stadiums to cheer on their favorite teams," Professor remarked. "We've passed a dozen convoys waving their respective favorite team pennants the last centimeters we've crawled forward."

"GAAAAHHH~~~!!! This can't be HAPPENING~~~!!! I don't want to miss that match for the whole WORLD~~~!!!" SD Takao shrieks, pulling at his hair in panic.

Tsukiyo was looking at him, her eyes little slits. "Why the sudden change in attitude, Kinogu, you used to hate girls as if they're the scourge of this PLANET."

"Little Miss Iceland's just totally different. Takao was literally floating on air when we got back from the ball, remember?" SD Max was grinning happily. "Takao Kinogu has become a man fallen so DESPERATELY in LOVE."

SD Tsukiyo nodded knowingly. "Oh, so THAT'S what's made all the _eau de cologne_ in that men's section DISAPPEAR."

"That's not TRUE~~~!!!"

"Then why the hell are you blushing, KINOGU?!" SD Tsukiyo's eyes became huge and sparkly. "KIYAA~~~!!! My best friend, totally, truly, MADLY in LOVE~~~!!! WOW~~~!!!"

"Cut it OUT~~~!!!" SD Takao was as red as a tomato.

Max was laughing. Asaya blinked, and Llewelyn got up from the seat behind her and leaned forward so that he was just looking over Asaya's seat. "Hey squirt, I heard you outdid yourself this time..."

"Oh, it was nothing! Besides, Professor helped me a lot on the calculations," Asaya replied, as she looked up at him. "And...hey! Where are the rest of them?"

"Scouting out the different teams in each stadium," Llewelyn answered. "Alphonse was about to drag Giovanni out in his pajamas again; says he's been missing doing that kind of thing ever since he learned that Giovanni could sleep through EVERYTHING like a log."

"Yes, and roll him AROUND like a LOG." Asaya shook her head. "Giovanni still couldn't exactly fathom why he'd end up on the foot of the stairs whenever he wakes up. And Kieran, Sigurd, and Pierre would be laughing their heads off until they roll around on the floor themselves, almost up to the point they asphyxiate."

"But Asaya, nobody could EVER defeat the wonders of a tequila-Turkey," Lee said solemnly. "Llewelyn here slept for almost 2 weeks and Dr. Leimrey was about to give out invitations for his funeral over at Pike's End."

"I was young and INNOCENT~~~!!!" Llewelyn said, turning SD and pointing an accusing finger at the still unperturbed Lee. "And you were the one who goaded me to do IT~~~!!!"

"And you fell for it! Damn, I thought you could smell that concoction I made from a mile AWAY," Lee answered.

Asaya laughed as the 2 of them started bickering behind her, turning murderously SD, holding her hand lightly over her mouth. Lei bit his lip, watching them, as soon as SD Lee started pulling SD Llewelyn's face in a series of disfigurations of yogic proportions. 

***_...she really likes their company, even if they're a little too rambunctious. I wonder...how could I get her to react like that? She's always been so quiet these past few days and~~~_***

"Lei, are you OK?" Asaya asked him suddenly, her clearest amethyst eyes wide and blinking. Lei blinked, then turned chibi neko as he shook his head violently from side to side.

"Errh...I'm...perfectly...FINE~~~!!!" SD chibi neko Lei was blushing very furiously, making him suddenly wish that the floor beneath him would open up and swallow him whole. "I..."

"Yes, Lei?" SD Asaya asked, blinking.

SD chibi neko Lei became even redder. SD Asaya cocked her head to one side. "???"

"Um~~~" SD chibi neko Lei held out his Gran Driger. "I...well...that fight a while ago...uh..."

"It looks perfectly fine to me..."

"Errh..."

"Oh!" Asaya fished something out of her soft denim skirt pocket, then handed it to Lei. "In all the confusion, I forgot to give you this. I hope you like it..."

"What...is it?"

"A present for Gran Driger. I'm just returning it to you...it's been a long time ever since that was used. I mean..." Asaya gestured to SD Lee, who by now was being made into Play Doh putty by a manically laughing SD Llewelyn. "Lee left it under Llewelyn's care a long time ago, when he...left. He was meaning to give it back to you...Lee, I mean. Uh...he's been talking about a missing 'younger brother' he left behind, and that was all that was left of your...father."

"..." Lei took it and peered down at it. It was a small octagonal parcel, wrapped in cloth, not bigger than the palm of his hand.

"Take good care of it," Asaya told him. "From what I've heard, that was what kept you safe all those years Lee had been looking for you. And...hee...that was what brought you 2 back together again. Now you won't be alone anymore..."

"..." Lei blinked, then looked up at Asaya, smiling faintly. "Thanks. Thanks for bringing it back to me..." 

"No problem!" Asaya nodded. "I'm sure Gran Driger would be really glad to see 'them' again."

"?" SD Lei blinked.

Asaya just smiled at him, her eyes closed happily. Lei just blushed and said no more.

"..." Kai, who was seated way back, looked out of the window and watched the snail pace of traffic as it went by. He could still hear Takao's indignant yells, Max's boisterous and giddy laughter, Professor's mild rebukes, Tsukiyo's cheers, Lee's roars and Llewelyn's indignant squawks of protest in the background as he surveyed the nondescript vehicles on his side of the shuttle bus.

Kai blinked, then his heart went cold.

A young man was standing close to a tree on the other side of the busy, jampacked street, who looked up as Kai gazed his way. He held something bound in cloth in his hand, and he was holding a book. He waved at Kai cheerfully, his slanted red brown eyes glinting in the morning sun.

Kai's eyes went wide.

That...

MAN...

***_Pathetic...I should've let you DIE._***

Kai shook his head, then stood up and leaned forward the window to get a better look at him. But he was gone.

***_It...it can't BE..._***

"Oh good, the traffic's CLEARED!" Max was grinning. "Yeah, we could still get there yet!"

"And Takao would be having a cute little DATE~~~!!!" Tsukiyo said, laughing manically.

"Oh, SHUT UP~~~!!!"

Kai tried looking around for him, but he was totally, completely gone. 

He sat back down again, trying to calm himself.

He wished it was just a hallucination.

He hoped to God that it was just a hallucination.

He really wished it WAS. 


	29. Freyja VS Ren: Arise! Fenrir's Ice Drive...

Freyja VS Ren:

"Arise! Fenrir's Ice Drive!"

AUTHOR'S NOTES: It's Freyja's turn! Could the BBA Team make it?! Is it Mao or Asaya?! LEI~~~!!! Stop bumbling around and be true to YOURSELF~~~!!! For in the end, there could be only ONE (lifted straight off from the Highlander series)! R/R please! ^.^

"...and there you have IT~~~!!! 2 to none score, Team Iceland, Team Finland. Could Team Finland still prove its worth and STILL win this MATCH from right under Team ICELAND~~~?! Only one way to find OUT~~~!!!" Maverick waved her arms in the air. "Next Bladers, please step FORWARD~~~!!!"

Freyja nodded, then took a step forward. Yuri stood up then went to where she was and held his younger sister's shoulder with a firm hand.

"Be careful."

"Don't worry, nothing I can't handle," Freyja told him. "Besides, I've lots of help from Wolfborg, so I'm not really worried in any sense."

She steps into the lights.

"For Team Iceland, we have...FREYJA STROSS~~~!!!"

"..." Freyja stood underneath the many lights that shone down on her, her curious blue eyes, like Yuri's own, glinting in mischief, her lips curved into a tiniest bit of a smile. Her red hair in its 2 pigtails swept way past her waist at the sides, its streaks glinting gold and silver. She was wearing a white baby t-shirt with an airbrushed Chibi _Vierge_ up front and an airbrushed Chibi Elhaym Van Houten at the back (doing her signature sexy pose), the round neck collar and its short sleeves edged with maroon; a yellow long sleeved ribbed shirt within with its sleeves ending 3/4 of her forearms; dark blue 6 pocket 3/4 denims with dark red edges and zippers; and a pair of yellow slip-on Skechers on her feet. The silver chain about the left part of her denims carried different keychains: Chibi _Ceresia_, _Bloudeuedd_, and _Gaea_ (all mechs from _Arcandia_), a soft plushie Pikachu and a Sorting Hat. Deep red cord was tied about her neck doubly, ending in a small tied-up ribbon at the hollow of her neck.

"For Team Finland, we have...REN MOYGEN~~~!!!"

Ren Moygen just gave her an unmistakable lewd look. Freyja frowned and her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Bladers, if you're ready...please step up to the shooting POINTS~~~!!!" Maverick looked at each of them, nodding. "Easy does IT!"

Freyja got her ice blue Bey Blade then set it on her Shooter. Ren did the same with his yellow Bey Blade. 

"ALRIGHT~~~!!! Bladers at the READY~~~!!!" Maverick raised her arms in the air. "ALRIGHT PEOPLE, LET'S ALL JOIN IN THE COUNTDOWN~~~!!!"

"3..."

Ren smiled in a sickly lewd manner.

"2..."

Freyja's eyes just narrowed further and aimed her Bey at the Bey Stadium.

"1..."

The 2 of them were poised to strike.

"GOOOOO...SHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTT~~~!!!"

"Oh NOOOO~~~!!!" SD Takao literally tore up the stairs leading right into the stadium, amidst loud, wild cheers from the crowd shown on the huge TV screen set outside, from which the curious passersby could watch the battles going on inside. "I'm LATE, I'm LATE, I'm LLLAAAAATTTEEE~~~!!!"

"..." SD Llewelyn had a huge sweatdrop on his head. "Geez, he sure took off like a bloody rocket."

"That's Takao for you." Max grinned. "Always on top of things."

"RIGHT." Tsukiyo just shook her head. "It's because his little date's involved that was WHY he took off like a frigging rocket."

"I guess we better hurry inside, too, or else we'll lose good seats," Lee told them.

They went after Takao. They were still talking among themselves when they bumped into Team Europe, who was looking at the standings chart posted right outside the main doors of the stadium.

"HEY!" Max grinned. "Fancy meeting you guys here!"

"Wouldn't miss this for the world," Oliver told him amiably, his eyes closed happily. "Giancarlo's gone out to fetch us some drinks from the McDonald's store we just passed by a while ago, but I could safely surmise that he did just that to survey the city's more delectable 'sights', so to speak."

"Well, that's Giancarlo for you."

Johnny was looking sulky behind him, whereas Ralf was talking to him in hushed tones. Max blinked. "Errh...what's up with Johnny?"

"His fiancee's dumped him for a balding old graf she just met yesterday. Apparently, the MacGregor jewels weren't big enough to lure the Lancastrian lass into submission." Oliver nodded. "We've been telling him that it's for the best, but he tells us the only reason why he's sulking is because the girl conveniently forgot to give him their family heirloom back. It's been with them for CENTURIES. And it belonged to all his ancestresses before him, dating back to the Middle Ages or so."

"I see."

Ralf frowned upon seeing Llewelyn behind Max, as he returned to the world of the living with Johnny at his side. "I see, Lord Falstaff, that you are quite well. The weather's doing you nice, perchance?"

"Perhaps," Llewelyn answered him shortly. "The weather's much nicer here than in the clubhouse, I tell you. It was getting rather stuffy inside, with all those whitecoats poking and goggling at you every single bloody minute of the day. Which reminds me. How is Johann, my dear fellow?"

Ralf's brows just knitted together more firmly. Oliver was just quiet, and Johnny had become sulkier.

"Uh...I am under the impression that you 2 know each other pretty WELL," Max said, in order to break the uneasy silence that followed. "Right?"

"He is nothing but a mere shadow of an acquaintance," Ralf said sniffily, as if discussing Llewelyn was such a very delicate and nonsensical matter. "Besides, he has his own reasons for not relaying anything about the...unusual...nature of his fading into the woodwork, so to speak. If you'll excuse us..."

"HEY~~~!!! Wait for ME~~~!!!" Giancarlo was saying, sprinting up the steps towards them and holding 3 covered large softdrink cups in his arms.

"..." Lei was blinking as they watched them ascend the steps leading into the cool interiors of the stadium. "That was really weird..."

"You're telling ME." Asaya looked over at Llewelyn. "Why, did you try to kill each other or anything?"

"Well, it's because you've sort of faded into the woodwork back in Japan that you don't know any of this; it really saved you from having the shame that went on along with it. Anyway...the reason why they all hate even just a shadow of just about ANYBODY among us is because Ralf condemns our -Edains-. He says we're all taboo. To be able to wield powerful -Forbidden Holy Beasts-...-Edains-...just like that. He feels it's just not right."

"Too much of a believer of 'old scriptures', so to speak," Lee mused. 

"..." Kai was just quiet.

"'Old scriptures'?" Professor asked.

"To other cultures, -Holy Beasts- are taboo," Llewelyn explained. "People from those cultures totally abhor the existence of -Holy Beasts-...they believe them to bring bad luck, bad harvest, bad everything. -Aurans- like us are a different matter. The moment the -Edains- have bound themselves to each and every one of us...everything we touch would be cursed. Destroyed. That is, according to some of those totally ignorant fools who may be controlling -Edain- reports at the moment."

"Cursed?" Max was blinking. "But how can you be cursed~~~"

"This isn't the time to talk of such things; we might miss the battle," Lee said dismissively. "Let's hurry in before Takao decides to rip the entire stadium into pieces."

They went up the stairs in silence.

"...and OOOOHHHH~~~~!!! That must've REALLY HURT~~~!!!" Maverick leaned over and gripped the handrails very hard. "Good LORD do they even have any plans of going DOWN?!"

"NOOO~~~!!!" SD Takao was yelling, banging on his chair sides furiously with his fists. "FREYJA~~~!!! You could DO IIITTT~~~!!!"

Fenrir dipped and attacked again and again, Yggdrasil matching the ice blue Bey's attacks with his own, as well. Ren was smiling in that sick manner again. "Eh little missy, if I beat you, would you go out with ME?"

"Eat my FOOT you LECHER~~~!!!" Freyja shouts. "I'm not done YET~~~!!!"

Max, Kai, Lei, Professor, Lee, Llewelyn, Tsukiyo, and Asaya arrived a few seconds later and joined Takao on the small row of plastic yellow seats that didn't have any occupants yet. "Hey Takao, what're her prospects as of the moment?" Max asked him.

"It's a seesaw battle," Takao replied. "I don't know who's going to win; it could be anybody's game."

"She's really GOOD," Lee remarked as he surveyed the battle going on right underneath them. "I daresay the lad would be in quite a nasty shock in a few seconds or so."

"???" SD Lei blinked.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA~~~~!!! Goodbye, MISSY~~~!!! It was fun while it lasted, but as they all say, it has to end at some point and that point is NOW." Ren swipes his arms. "YGGDRASIL~~~!!! SOUL SPLICE, NOW~~~!!!"

Yggdrasil shot upwards, and a deep yellow light issued forth from its central bit. A frightening -Holy Beast- appeared, which looked like a demon hound from hell.

It seemed to split into many parts, then headed straight towards Fenrir. Ren was laughing.

"HAHAHAHAHA~~~~!!! How about THAT, little girl? Not exactly short of pathetic, eh?"

"..." Freyja smiled. "It's WAY short of being pathetic. "Damn, is that all you've GOT?"

"?!" Ren blinked. "What...what are you talking about..."

"YGGDRASIL IS MOVING IN FOR THE KILL~~~!!!" Maverick was shouting. "I CAN'T look~~~"

Freyja then swipes her left arm in the air, her blue eyes narrowed. "FENRIR~~~!!! ARISE~~~!!! ICE DRIVE~~~!!!"

Several sparkly crystals of ice appeared about the ice blue Bey Blade, as Yggdrasil moves in fast. A perfect ring of those sparkly ice crystals surrounded it, and from the central bit...

"W-what THE~~~?!" Max's eyes were wide.

A beautiful ice wolf came forth, its fur a beautiful display of ice crystals in varying shades of blue, from blue to ice blue, and to white. Its ice blue eyes flashed, then a brilliant ice blue flash of light pervaded the stadium, and~~~

"The BEY~~~!!! Look at the BEY~~~!!!" Maverick was positively yelling.

Fenrir surged forward, sliding across the ice, which by now had totally covered the stadium floor. It held Yggdrasil captive within its glassy hold, and as Ren could only watch in horror, saw it shoot towards his Bey, a furious ice blue aura emanating from it, several spikes of ice shooting forth from its sides as it moves in for the kill.

There were several ice blue slashes. Yggdrasil was promptly cut up into pieces, which sailed off into the glaring lights of the stadium and at Ren's feet. His eyes were very wide.

"..." Maverick looked disbelievingly at Yggdrasil, then at Fenrir, which was still spinning very fast in the middle of the icy Bey Stadium. She swipes her arms in the air. "Yggdrasil, down, out, and SPLICED~~~!!! Winner...FREYJA for the ICELAND TEAM~~~!!!"

"YEAH~~~!!!" Freyja yells, shooting her closed fists up in the air and started dancing around, to the wild cheers and yells of the very appreciative crowd. Takao was jumping up and down as well, and looked as if he was the one who won, and not Freyja.

"YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEEEAAAAAHHHH~~~~!!!" SD Takao yells, dancing around too, just like Freyja. "She WON, she WON, she WON~~~!!!" 

"Wow...she's really AMAZING..." Max whispered.

"They weren't Arctic Champions for nothing," Lee mused. He nodded. "Hey! Why don't we all go down and congratulate them, for Takao's sake?"

SD Takao abruptly stopped dancing, then stared at Lee. "Huh?"

"Come on, Takao, CONGRATULATE HER~~~!!!" SD Tsukiyo said, thinking in the same lines as Lee was. "Tell her how AB-SO-LUTE-LY CUTE and TALENTED she was, eh, Kinogu?!"

"Errh..." SD Takao was starting to panic, and to Tsukiyo's satisfaction, REDDEN. "C...Come on, Shinohara, that's not FUNNY~~~"

SD Max grabbed SD Takao by his left arm, SD Professor grabbed him on the right, and they all dragged him towards the dugout of the Iceland Team, which for now was being filled up notoriously fast by many of their admirers. SD Takao was all-out panicky. 

"Cut it OUT~~~~!!! TSU-KI-YO~~~~!!!" SD Takao yells.

SD Tsukiyo popped noisemakers along the way as they made their way towards Team Iceland.

Lei was about to follow them when a voice stopped him dead in his tracks. 

"Nice fight, wasn't it, Lei."

Mao was standing there, a strange smirk on her face. Lei blinked, then stared at her.

"Mao..."

"Don't worry, I won't disappoint you. Just make sure you get to the Finals, Lei, I would be waiting. It'll be a big disappointment if you let me down, AGAIN. OK?" Mao gave a little wave, then she bounded off.

"..." Lei stared after her and watched until the familiar carnation pink head disappeared from his view among the many people that were filing out of the stadium. Lei was lost in his thoughts, thinking of Mao, when somebody called his name.

"Lei?"

Lei blinked. Asaya was standing there, blinking up at him, as innocent as you can get. Lei bit his lip, thinking of Mao again.

"Lei, are you alright? Max told me to come fetch you..." Asaya told him, her voice trailing off.

"I'm...fine." Lei forced a sheepish grin. "Let's go. We don't want to keep them waiting, right?"


End file.
